COGNOSCERE Business Climate Report — Issue C156 · September 04, 2026

COGNOSCERE INTELLIGENCE · BUSINESS CLIMATE REPORT

Friday, September 04, 2026

■ THE INTEL

THE INTEL. A severe heatwave is pushing the PJM Interconnection — the grid operator serving over sixty five million people across Mid-Atlantic and Midwest states — toward blackout risk. The Energy Secretary has issued an emergency alert, signaling that grid capacity margins are dangerously thin. For defense subcontractors running cleared facilities with sensitive equipment and continuous security requirements, an unplanned power loss creates compliance exposure and potential data integrity issues. For commercial SMBs, a load-shedding event means halted production, spoiled inventory, and point-of-sale shutdowns. This is not a future scenario. Grid stress is happening now, and PJM’s emergency protocols are already on elevated status.

Sources: The Guardian

■ THE RECORD

THE RECORD. At least one rolling blackout or mandatory load-shedding event will occur within the PJM Interconnection service territory during the summer of 2025, by December three, 2026. This resolves if PJM officially declares a Load Management event or activates its Emergency Load Reduction Program, or any utility within PJM’s thirteen-state footprint implements rolling blackouts, between now and September fifteen, 2025.

■ THE READ

THE READ. Contact your utility provider this week to confirm your facility’s priority status, test backup generators, and verify that your business interruption insurance explicitly covers grid-failure losses — not just weather damage.

■ THE PROJECTION

At least one rolling blackout or mandatory load-shedding event will occur within the PJM Interconnection service territory during the summer of 2025, directly affecting commercial and industrial electricity customers.

■ DECISION CUES