A view of Jim Bridger Power Plant in Wyoming circa November 2023. Coal generation played a key role in meeting surging electricity demand during PJM’s 2026 summer heat wave. (Shutterstock/Azariah Reese)

What Delivered PJM’s Heat-Wave Load?

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When PJM demand surged during the summer heat wave, gas and coal supplied the additional power.

Summer isn’t over. More heat waves can be expected during this season and in subsequent years. How is the grid coping?

The first major heat wave of summer 2026 pushed temperatures above 100°F across the eastern United States. Midday load on PJM, the nation’s largest grid operator, surged to near-record levels, approaching the all-time peak of 165,563 megawatts (MW) set in 2006.

When the heat spikes, PJM doesn’t turn to the sun. It turns to gas and coal. Gas generation rose to 55 gigawatts (GW), up from 44 GW the week before. Coal ran at 24 GW, up from 14 GW, a 69 percent increase. Nuclear held steady at 32 GW. Solar and wind averaged 7 GW both during the heat wave and the week prior—unchanged. The intermittent fleet didn’t move, and the dispatchable fleet absorbed the entire........

© The National Interest