Energy & Grid Management
Wed, Aug 12
Molly Glick
Molly Glick
Energy Central Team
·Posted in Energy & Grid Management

NEWS: After PJM’s biggest data center load drop-off, the grid operator wants to strap on the seatbelt.

  • Déjà vu: Nearly 4 GW of Virginia data center load tripped offline on July 22, marking the biggest such event in PJM’s history—similar VA events in 2024 and ‘25 each shed about 1.5 GW. During the recent incident, PJM’s overall load dropped nearly 4%.

  • Yes, but: Operators recovered within nine minutes, well inside NERC’s 30-minute standard.

  • What’s next: PJM is mulling over ride-through standards for computational loads like data centers to prevent future mishaps. ERCOT and CAISO are looking into similar rules. 

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