News briefing · Published
MISO says winter power is sufficient but tight: Midwest checklist
Will the Midwest have enough power this winter?
MISO, a regional grid operator, says it has enough winter capacity. Its 2026-27 auction secured about 134.7 GW of winter capacity offers against a projected peak of about 113.4 GW. MISO still names tighter reserve margins and major winter storms as challenges. Plan for a multi-day outage anyway.
T&D World reports that MISO, a regional grid operator, expects enough power for winter 2026-27 but with tight margins. The assessment was released October 28, 2026.
What happened
MISO's Planning Resource Auction secured about 134.7 GW of winter capacity offers against a projected winter peak of about 113.4 GW. About 3.6 GW of new capacity was offered, led by natural gas, and about 2.3 GW retired.
What it means for your home
Enough capacity does not mean power will never go out. MISO named tighter reserve margins, steep evening ramp periods and the potential for major winter storms as operating challenges.
What to do this week
- Set aside warm layers, hats, gloves and a sleeping bag for each person.
- Charge phones, power banks and battery lights.
- Store drinking water and a way to purify water.
- Check your heat plan. Never run a gas oven, grill or generator indoors.
- Keep a battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio for official alerts.
Read how to stay warm without power for a full cold-weather plan.
Sources
This briefing is general information, not medical, legal or electrical advice. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.