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DOE selects 31 grid projects for $1.9 billion in federal support

The Energy Department intends to help fund 31 SPARK grid projects in 26 states. It projects more than 23 GW of added capacity through line upgrades, with $1.9 billion federal and $3.35 billion recipient funding.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published September 25, 2026 · Updated 9/25/2026

The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Sept. 24 that it intends to help fund 31 grid-improvement projects in 26 states through its SPARK program. DOE lists $1.9 billion in federal funding and $3.35 billion in recipient cost-share, for $5.25 billion in total planned spending. These are project selections and intended funding, not completed upgrades.

DOE says project recipients are expected to reconductor or rebuild more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines and deploy grid-enhancing technologies across nearly 21,000 miles. It projects that the work will make more than 23 gigawatts of additional electricity capacity available. Reconductoring replaces existing wires with higher-capacity conductors; other technologies can help operators use existing lines more effectively.

The agency says using existing rights-of-way could shorten development compared with building entirely new corridors and help reduce congestion and costs. Those are DOE's expected effects, not measured household bill savings. Whether and when individual projects deliver capacity or price benefits will depend on construction, approvals and grid operation.

Official source: U.S. Department of Energy ↗