A massive heat dome is driving temperatures to the high 90s or even into triple-digit territory across more than three dozen states—from the Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and New England—threatening to strain the nation's largest power grid through midweek.

PJM Interconnection, the operator of the largest U.S. power grid serving 65 million people across 13 states and D.C., has issued a "Maximum Generation Alert" for Monday, ordering all available power generation to run at full capacity to ensure power demand is met during peak hours amid tightening conditions. 

Why the alert?

What PJM did:

Who needs to act?

Load forecast (entire RTO):

"This alert was issued in anticipation of tight conditions on the 13-state system as electricity demand is set to top 160 gigawatts on the afternoon of June 23, which would be the highest peak since July 2011," Bloomberg wrote in a note, adding, "The Eastern US grid operator also called a "maximum generation emergency" to shore up supplies." 

In its 6–10 day temperature outlook map, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-average temperatures across much of the eastern half of the U.S. through the end of the month.

Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York could experience mercury rising above 100°F for a few days through Tuesday.

None of this should come as a surprise to readers: we've extensively covered PJM's repeated warnings, shared a Goldman Sachs note highlighting that the grid is "getting critically tight," and urged those at risk to consider adding backup power generation at home.