gives the Energy Secretary authority to order temporary measures during an emergency, including keeping generation available that might otherwise be restricted. Here, it lets PJM and generation owners operate in ways that environmental permits would normally prohibit, but only as a last resort and only if needed to maintain reliability.
What the order allows
Exceeding pollution limits. Power plants can run above their usual environmental limits if that is what it takes to keep supply flowing. Critics of such orders often point to the added air pollution, while supporters argue
