Embodiments of the present invention pertain to providing emergency mode plan generation in a utility computing environment (UCE). In one embodiment, information that describes criticality of applications is received. Information is received that indicates one or more resources assigned for use by one or more of the applications can no longer be used by the applications to which the resources are assigned. A plan is automatically generated that indicates whether resources assigned for use by a first application can be used by a second application instead of the first application based on the criticality of the applications, wherein the one or more resources are managed by a UCE.