Blog
02 19, 2026
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2026 began with one of the biggest winter storms that the eastern half of North America had seen in decades. From January 23 to January 27, Winter Storm Fern swept across the South, through the Northeast, and into Canada. It coated affected regions in sleet, freezing rain, and heavy snow. And in the storm’s aftermath, a surge of Arctic air drove temperatures into the single digits – and even below zero in many places.
These extreme weather conditions created extraordinary challenges for grid operators, straining the system as demand skyrocketed. In moments like these, flexible resources such as demand response remain indispensable for maintaining grid reliability. In this blog, we explore how demand response once again proved its value by supporting system stability and helping grid operators weather one of the most severe winter events in recent memory.
Preparing for Winter Storm Fern’s extreme weather
In the days leading up to Winter Storm Fern, forecasts signaled the potential for severe stress on the electric grid. Meteorologists warned of extreme cold paired with widespread ice and heavy snowfall – conditions that would challenge electric system reliability across multiple regions. Anticipating record-high winter peak demand, three grid operators – PJM Interconnection, ISO New England, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas – proactively sought permission from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to operate generators at maximum levels. DOE issued emergency orders approving these requests on January 24 and January 25. Shortly after, as the storm progressed, Duke Energy and New York ISO followed with similar requests, which DOE approved on January 26.
While these grid operators confirmed they had sufficient power, they were taking no chances with risking electric reliability and public safety during a major weather event. Their requests served as a strategic safeguard, ensuring that every available generating resource could be deployed at maximum output levels if needed.
As the storm approached, grid operators in Winter Storm Fern’s projected path issued precautionary alerts and prepared generation fleets to support several days of elevated demand. These conditions significantly increased the likelihood of demand response events across the South, Northeast, and parts of Canada. In response, Enel North America mobilized quickly – communicating with our demand response customers, preparing them for potential dispatch, and remaining on heightened alert for dispatch signals from grid operators to ensure flexibility resources were ready when called.
How demand response supported the grid during the storm
From Sunday, January 25, through Friday, January 30, Enel North America activated our demand response portfolio across affected regions when needed by the grid. Events were dispatched throughout PJM Interconnection, New York ISO, ISO New England, Ontario, and two utilities in the Southeast. Across these areas, demand response played a critical role in easing grid stress and maintaining reliability during one of the most challenging winter periods in recent years.
Two notable examples of demand response in action:
- PJM Interconnection: PJM called a demand response event in the BGE, Dominion, and Pepco territories on Sunday, January 25, as a precautionary measure. Demand response participants reduced load to help alleviate localized transmission constraints and to preserve the run time of generators ahead of the extreme cold and high demand forecasted later in the week. While actual demand did not reach anticipated levels over the course of the week, PJM still recorded significant peaks on January 29 (139,046 MW) and January 30 (138,479) – both ranking among PJM’s all-time top 10 winter peaks.
- New York ISO (NYISO): NYISO called on demand response every day from January 25 – 30 to avoid emergency conditions. On January 30, NYISO recorded its highest peak load so far this winter at 24,177 MW. At NYISO’s February 13 Operating Committee meeting, Aaron Markham, Vice President of Operations, shared that “our current estimates are that [demand response] reduced the demand between 350 and 400 MW. Without the demand response, we would have been over the baseline forecast for the winter.”
Enel North America’s demand response impact (January 25–30):
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Regions supported: PJM Interconnection, New York ISO, ISO New England, Ontario, and two utilities in the Southeast
Thank you to our customers for contributing to grid stability during this critical week!
Winter reliability concerns were growing long before the storm
This historic winter storm follows a summer in which the U.S. and Canada saw a record number of demand response dispatches, as grid operators confronted rising electricity demand, record-setting peaks, and the escalating challenge of maintaining reliability in an unprecedented energy landscape.
But reliability concerns and surging demand are no longer confined to the summer months – and Winter Storm Fern made that clearer than ever. In fact, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) raised the alarm well in advance. In its Winter Reliability Assessment published in November 2025, NERC warned that “much of North America is at an elevated risk of having insufficient energy supplies to meet demand in extreme operating conditions,” a caution reiterated in NERC’s extreme weather statement issued on January 22.
Winter electricity demand is now rising at the fastest pace in years, driven largely by rapid data center expansion in regions like PJM Interconnection, the Southeast, and parts of the Midwest and West. NERC projects that aggregate winter peak demand will be 2.5% higher than last year’s forecast – equivalent to 20.2 GW – with some regions potentially facing increases of up to 10%.
According to John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessments and performance analysis, “the bulk power system is entering another winter with pockets of elevated risk, and the drivers are becoming more structural than seasonal.” In other words, the same challenges seen during the summer months – load growth, record peaks, demand growing faster than new supply coming online – are here to stay during the winter months.
In this new landscape, flexible resources like demand response have never played a more critical role in maintaining grid reliability. Demand response is a year-round reliability resource and can be utilized as such. Being able to dynamically lower demand when needed will continue to provide instrumental value to the grid. And for participants, that flexibility offers meaningful revenue-earning opportunities not just during the summer months, but increasingly throughout the winter as well.
Reliability challenges are year-round – your flexibility has value
If your business is not yet participating in demand response, there has never been a more important – and more rewarding – time to get involved. Demand response helps the grid maximize the use of existing resources while providing your organization with a meaningful opportunity to earn revenue. It’s a cost-effective reliability tool for them – and a revenue-earning opportunity for you. And it’s a win-win for energy continuity in your community.
Demand response pricing remains strong across many regions and with emergency events becoming more frequent, choosing the right demand response provider is critical to participating successfully and maximizing opportunity. The provider you work with should bring proven performance, deep market expertise, full transparency, and a commitment to longterm value – ensuring your facility can unlock its full flexibility, navigate program requirements with ease, and perform confidently when events are called – whether that’s during a heat wave or a cold snap.
To secure your place in Enel’s demand response portfolio, connect with our team as soon as possible. Some demand response programs have rolling enrollment (i.e., you can jump right in), while others are seasonal/annual (i.e., if you miss the deadline, you have to wait until the next enrollment period). As the global leader in demand response, Enel has the experience, scale, and technology to help your business determine the program(s) that are the best fit for your operations and provide you with the tools and know-how to participate effectively – and with complete confidence.
