Pa.'s electric grid operator ready for summer, but facing new pressure

PJM Interconnection, the regional electric grid operator for Pennsylvania and portions of a dozen other states, has declared its readiness to meet the upcoming summer's energy demand. The operator forecasts a peak demand of 156,400 megawatts, slightly higher than its 2025 projection of 154,000 megawatts, but states it has ample capacity of approximately 180,200 megawatts, plus 7,800 megawatts in reserves from its demand response program. Despite this immediate readiness, Michael Bryson, PJM Interconnection's senior vice president of operations, warned of an emerging "new reality": data centers are accelerating power demand at a rate that outpaces the grid's ability to integrate new generation sources. This trend is leading to tighter operating reserve margins and heightened risk, which could limit PJM's capacity to assist neighboring grid operators during emergency situations.