DOE allocates $5.25 B for 31 grid upgrades in 26 states

The Department of Energy's Office of Electricity announced its intention to fund 31 grid-improvement projects in 26 states under the Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) initiative. The projects will receive $5.25 billion in total, including $1.9 billion in federal funding from DOE and $3.35 billion in recipient cost-share funding.

The selected projects are expected to reconductor or rebuild more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines and deploy Grid-Enhancing Technologies across nearly 21,000 miles, creating over 23 gigawatts of additional electricity capacity for approximately 100 million Americans.

"Today's announcement reinforces the Trump Administration's commitment to commonsense energy addition policies that lower electricity prices and strengthen our grid," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. "These investments will get more out of the infrastructure we already have, move more electricity across the grid, and help deliver affordable, reliable, and secure power that will fuel American prosperity for decades to come."

Assistant Secretary of Electricity Catherine Jereza added, "These selected SPARK projects put advanced transmission technologies to work, modernizing critical infrastructure, maximizing the capacity of existing lines, and unlocking more than 20 gigawatts of additional grid capacity." The initiative follows President Trump's Executive Order Unleashing American Energy, emphasizing reconductoring paired with advanced transmission technologies to expand capacity, improve efficiency, lower consumer bills, and enhance system reliability and security.

SPARK is funded through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program, and DOE released the Speed to Power Request for Information analysis to inform the funding opportunity. A full list of selected projects is available on the department's website.