The US Department of Energy issued an emergency order over the weekend of June 24-25, allowing Duke Energy Carolinas to crank its fossil fuel power plants past their normal environmental limits. The reason: temperatures exceeding 100°F across North and South Carolina, and a grid that couldn’t keep up.
The order, issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, essentially tells Duke Energy that keeping the lights on matters more than staying within established air pollution caps, at least temporarily.
What the order actually does
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright authorized Duke Energy Carolinas to maximize output from specific generating units, primarily fossil fuel-capable plants, during the heat event. Duke Energy, traded on the NYSE under the ticker DUK, was the only utility named in the order.
This isn’t a one-off move. Numerous DOE emergency orders have been issued since January 2025 to maintain baseload generation during extreme weather events.
