COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Federal energy officials have issued emergency orders aimed at preventing power outages across Ohio and much of the eastern United States as extreme heat pushes electricity demand toward record levels.
The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday authorized PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator serving Ohio and 12 other states plus Washington, D.C., to take emergency actions through July 3 if needed to maintain grid reliability.
PJM is forecasting peak electricity demand of about 166,300 megawatts on Thursday, a level that would surpass the grid’s all-time record of 165,563 megawatts, set during a 2006 heat wave…