The Department of Energy's Office of Electricity said September 24, 2026, it plans to fund 31 grid-improvement projects across 26 states, backing them with $5.25 billion in combined federal and private money. The funding falls under DOE's Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades initiative, known as SPARK.
DOE will provide $1.9 billion of that total, with recipients supplying the remaining $3.35 billion in cost-share funding. The department said the projects are meant to improve grid reliability and lower electricity costs for about 100 million Americans.
What the projects add
Project recipients are expected to reconductor or rebuild more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines. Reconductoring means replacing existing power lines with higher-capacity conductors, a way to expand what a line can carry without rerouting it. Recipients will also deploy Grid-Enhancing Technologies across nearly 21,000 miles of lines. Combined, DOE said the work will make more than 23 gigawatts of additional electricity capacity available.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $5.25 billion |
| Federal share | $1.9 billion |
| Recipient cost-share | $3.35 billion |
| Selected projects | 31 |
| States | 26 |
| Lines to reconductor or rebuild | 1,500+ miles |
| Lines to get grid-enhancing technology | nearly 21,000 miles |
| Added capacity | 23+ gigawatts |
Why reconductoring instead of new lines
The selections carry out President Trump's executive order "Unleashing American Energy" and reflect DOE's broader energy policy push toward faster grid upgrades. Pairing reconductoring with other Advanced Transmission Technologies lets the projects make full use of existing rights-of-way, avoid new greenfield construction and cut the cost of adding capacity, which DOE said can lower consumer electricity bills. The department said this route also bypasses the multi-decade timelines typically needed to build new transmission corridors. DOE said the projects are also meant to reduce wildfire risk and blackouts, and to hold up better in severe weather.
Official reaction
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the investments would "get more out of the infrastructure we already have" and move more electricity across the grid. OE Assistant Secretary Catherine Jereza said DOE is "moving with urgency to strengthen our grid, lower costs."
How SPARK is funded
SPARK draws its money from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program, known as GRIP. Alongside the SPARK selections, DOE is releasing its Speed to Power Request for Information Analysis, which gathered industry feedback that helped shape the SPARK funding opportunity.
