Energy Dept. directs data centers to use backup generators during heat wave, freeing up power for AC | CNN

As a dangerous heat wave bakes major East Coast cities, Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed data centers in the mid-Atlantic this week to use their backup power supplies instead of using electricity from the public grid, in part to ensure there was enough to power residential air conditioning. The heat index topped 100 degrees by 10 a.m. Thursday in every major metro from Washington, DC, to New York City. And as the mercury climbed, so did the energy used for air conditioning. 🔥 Get your heat forecast on the CNN Weather app “Maintaining affordable, reliable, and secure power in the PJM service territory is non-negotiable,” Wright said in a statement. Wright’s Tuesday orders were directed at data centers and other large electricity customers served by PJM, the country’s largest electrical grid operator. The PJM region is made up of 13 states. It is home to the world’s largest cluster of data centers in Virginia, and their dramatic energy use has led to serious electricity price spikes in certain mid-Atlantic states over the past couple years. New York City, which was experiencing power outages on Thursday, is not part of the PJM regional grid. More than 15,000 Con Ed