NEWS: PJM hit an all-time peak load (168 GW) during last week’s heat wave—and paid nearly $28K per MW.

Big demand: The record arrived in the early evening on July 2, when the PJM region recorded its hottest-ever average air temp (97 degrees Fahrenheit). Extreme heat plus equipment outages made it difficult to keep demand in check, PJM said. 

Big dollars: The cost to regulate PJM’s supply and demand ballooned over 100 times higher than the 2026 average, per a Reuters analysis, largely due to reserve deficits and power line congestion.