Government & PolicyBreakingUpdated Oct 14, 2026

Energy Department orders PJM grid operator to dispatch backup power through mid-October

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, all right-leaning.

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Epoch Times, Fox News and The Washington Times report that the U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order on October 12 directing PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. grid operator, to dispatch specified generating units and use backup power as needed. The outlets say the order runs through October 16 and aims to prevent blackouts across 13 states and the District of Columbia during warm October weather and rising demand. Epoch Times reports that PJM forecast demand near 111,500 MW. Energy Secretary Chris Wright determined a statutory emergency existed. PJM told Fox News Digital it does not expect the emergency to affect everyday customers.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

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The 5-point spectrum

Far Left
Voices that strongly advocate for progressive policies and systemic change.
Left
Mainstream liberal perspectives focusing on social equality and regulation.
Center
Sources that prioritize neutral reporting and balanced viewpoints.
Right
Mainstream conservative perspectives focusing on market freedom and tradition.
Far Right
Voices that strongly advocate for conservative values and limited government.

How we measure bias

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

The Department of Energy issued an emergency order directing PJM Interconnection to dispatch specified generating units and use backup generation as needed to maintain grid reliability.
One side only: the rightReported byRight1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
Right
The Washington Times
Far Right
The Epoch Times, Fox News
The order remains in effect through Friday, October 16.
One outletFox News· Far Right
PJM serves more than 60 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia.
One side only: the rightReported byFar Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
Far Right
The Epoch Times, Fox News
Energy Secretary Chris Wright determined that a statutory emergency existed.
One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right
PJM's filing forecast demand at or around 111,500 MW and said the system would sit within 900 MW of its reserve margin on October 14.
One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right
PJM told Fox News Digital it does not expect the emergency conditions to affect everyday customers.
One outletFox News· Far Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three outlets report that the Energy Department ordered PJM to dispatch generating units and backup power to prevent blackouts across 13 states through mid-October. Their coverage presents the order as a federal emergency response to grid strain, with Fox News linking it to the Trump administration.

the left
No coverage yet
No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
the center
No coverage yet
No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
the right
3 outlets
Headlines report a federal emergency order and blackout risk; Fox News ties it to the Trump administration and unseasonable heat, while Epoch Times and The Washington Times stick to the order and its reach.
Trump Energy Department issues emergency order to prevent blackouts across 13 states amid unusual October heat
Fox NewsFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Mantle found no loaded language in this coverage. Every headline and opening was checked against Mantle’s published word list, and Mantle’s AI read all 3 articles in context. Straight reporting often has none.

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

3 outlets

Leads with

federal emergency order
risk of blackouts
unseasonable October heat
Trump administration role

See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

The Washington TimesRight
Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, D.C., Philadelphia under temporary power grid emergency
The Department of Energy has ordered the power grid operator covering all or part of 13 states and the District of Columbia to get equipment and backup power generation ready to prevent blackouts.
Oct 14, 2026Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
Fox NewsFar Right
Trump Energy Department issues emergency order to prevent blackouts across 13 states amid unusual October heat
The Department of Energy authorized PJM Interconnection to tap backup power as unseasonably warm October temperatures strain the grid across 13 states.
Oct 13, 2026Read at Fox News (opens in a new tab)
The Epoch TimesFar Right
Energy Department Orders PJM to Dispatch Units, Backup Power Through Mid-October
The grid operator serves more than 65 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Oct 12, 2026Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

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Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

Left
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
Center
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
Right
First to report
The Epoch Times, Oct 12, 10:08 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order

The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 12, 10:08 PM EDT
Fox NewsFar RightOct 13, 9:49 PM EDT
The Washington TimesRightOct 14, 4:21 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Energy Department orders PJM grid operator to dispatch backup power through mid-October

Coverage spectrum

Key points

Compare views

the left

the center

the right

Language to notice

Side by side

From the left

From the center

From the right

Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, D.C., Philadelphia under temporary power grid emergency

Trump Energy Department issues emergency order to prevent blackouts across 13 states amid unusual October heat

Energy Department Orders PJM to Dispatch Units, Backup Power Through Mid-October

How the coverage built up

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