Biden-Harris Administration Invests $1.5 Billion To Strengthen U.S. Power Grid And Boost Clean Energy Access

The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has announced significant steps to enhance the country’s electricity grid and ensure affordable energy for Americans. In a key move, the DOE is investing $1.5 billion in four major transmission projects, aimed at improving grid reliability, reducing transmission congestion, and giving more people access to affordable clean energy. These projects, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will add nearly 1,000 miles of new transmission lines and create 7,100 MW of capacity across six U.S. states. The states benefiting from this investment are Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Additionally, these projects are expected to generate nearly 9,000 jobs.

The DOE also unveiled the National Transmission Planning (NTP) Study, a long-term research effort that outlines potential strategies for improving grid resilience and reliability through 2050. The study suggests that the U.S. will need to increase its transmission capacity by two to three times the 2020 levels to meet future energy demands. This expansion could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in savings by making the grid more efficient and reducing costs. The Biden-Harris Administration is working aggressively to expand the grid through a combination of investments, streamlined permitting processes, and enhanced long-term planning, all part of the broader Investing in America agenda.

The new transmission projects funded by DOE are also in line with the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the benefits of federal investments reach disadvantaged communities that have historically been neglected. The four projects selected for investment will help connect clean energy sources with consumers, improve reliability, and provide new economic opportunities.

One such project is the Aroostook Renewable Project in Maine, which will build a new substation and a 111-mile transmission line, adding 1,200 MW of capacity to New England’s grid. It will create over 4,200 jobs during construction and 30 permanent jobs once the project is operational. The Cimarron Link project will establish a 400-mile high-voltage direct-current transmission line in Oklahoma, transmitting 1,900 MW of clean energy and creating 3,600 construction jobs.

Similarly, the Southern Spirit project will build a 320-mile line across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, linking Texas’ grid with the southeastern U.S. power markets for the first time. This project will prevent outages during extreme weather events and provide 3,000 MW of power while creating 850 construction jobs and 305 permanent jobs. Lastly, the Southline project in New Mexico will deliver 1,000 MW of capacity and support industries such as semiconductor and battery manufacturing.

The DOE’s new National Transmission Planning Study, developed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), highlights the benefits of a coordinated interregional transmission network. It estimates that expanding the transmission system nationwide could save between $270 billion and $490 billion in costs by 2050. The study emphasizes that every dollar invested in transmission could lead to $1.60 to $1.80 in savings, underlining the long-term economic benefits of grid expansion.

The administration’s efforts aim to create a more interconnected and resilient grid, supporting growing energy demands while improving everyday life for Americans through affordable, reliable power and job creation.