2026.02.02 | Winter Storm Fern: DOE’s Section 202C Order & Data Center Strategy

As Winter Storm Fern hammers the Eastern Interconnection, the Department of Energy has issued rare Section 202C emergency orders to maintain grid reliability. We analyze the unprecedented mandate requiring PJM data centers to switch to backup generation as dispatchable resources before emergency alerts are even declared. Plus, we break down NRG Energy’s massive acquisition of 13 GW of assets and Virginia’s pivotal "ban on bans" for solar development. Tune in to understand how extreme weather volatility is driving aggressive market consolidation and federal regulatory shifts.