PJM eyes data center, crypto reliability requirements after 3.8 GW of load trips offline

Key Points:

• PJM Interconnection is considering strengthening interconnection reliability requirements for computational loads like data centers and crypto-mining facilities after a major 3,800 MW data center load outage in northern Virginia on July 22.
• The outage, triggered by a fault on a 230-kV line in Dominion Energy’s zone, caused significant imbalances and voltage/frequency swings, with PJM’s overall load dropping about 3.8%.
• PJM recovered system balance within nine minutes, faster than the 30-minute North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) standard, but noted data centers may be overly sensitive and disconnecting too quickly from the grid.
• Similar load transfer events occurred in 2024 and 2025 in the same region, prompting PJM to consider expanding reliability requirements and ride-through standards for computational loads.
• NERC is also developing reliability standards for computational loads under FERC directives, with registry criteria due by the end of 2024 and additional standards planned for 2025, though minimum voltage and frequency ride-through rules are expected next year.