Just over a year after the June 2025 heat dome resulted in a record-breaking week of demand response, another heat dome settled over much of the United States—and once again, demand response was a key lever in the utility demand stack for keeping the grid steady.

The heat wave that built through the July 4th holiday week brought triple-digit temperatures to many regions in the U.S. On the morning of July 3rd alone, more than 120 million people were under extreme heat warnings stretching from the Midwest and into the Mid-Atlantic and New England, with another 62 million under heat advisories across the Southeast. Many communities canceled Independence Day plans and outdoor gatherings altogether.

For Uplight, this meant a busy week for demand response programs. Between June 29th and July 6th, Uplight ran 142 demand response events for 14 utility clients across 15 states and provinces. This included 5 behavioral demand response (BDR) events and 35 battery events, reflecting the growth of diverse devices and program types in virtual power plants (VPPs).

As heat domes become a more regular feature of summer, weeks like this one underscore why demand response continues to be a crucial (and increasingly advanced) tool for utilities. The flexibility provided allowed utilities to reduce demand quickly and at scale—eliminating the need to fire up costly peaker plants or risk service interruptions.

If last week is any indication, 2026’s demand response impact may end up surpassing last year’s record-setting summer.