India, July 27 -- Over 17 states are said to be facing an 'electric emergency' as per the US government orders as extreme heat is making the country's power grids under duress, the US Department of Energy said. The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued the warning on Sunday to help prevent electricity shortages during the ongoing heat wave.

The order allows Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which manages electricity across parts of the central US, to use backup power generation resources if needed to reduce stress on the power grid, according to WTHR. Around 20 million people live in the area covered by the emergency order, stretching from North Dakota in the north to Louisiana in the south.

The emergency order covers these 17 states:

The eme...