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A danger sign reminds contractors to be wary of high-voltage power lines as crews excavate a haul route next to a levee along the American River’s north bank in Sacramento, Calif., Aug. 28, 2012. The haul route will be used for loading material into trucks at a lower and safer height, keeping constr
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District | Public domain | Wikimedia Commons

Energy Department Awards $1.9 Billion To Boost Capacity Of U.S. Power Grid

On Thursday, September 24, 2026, the Energy Department announced $1.9 billion in federal awards to upgrade the U.S. power grid and boost capacity nationwide.[1]

The awards cover 31 grid projects across 26 states and are expected to yield more than 23 gigawatts of additional effective capacity, enough to serve about 16 million homes.[1] Department officials said the program could improve reliability and help lower electricity costs for roughly 100 million Americans.[1]

The federal funding of $1.9 billion will be matched by $3.35 billion in recipient cost-share, financed under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Congress passed to support grid modernization.[1] Selected projects will upgrade equipment on more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines and deploy technologies across nearly 21,000 miles of the electric system.[1]

  1. PBS
Energy Infrastructure Federal Spending and Regulation
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📌 Key Facts

  • On Thursday, September 24, 2026, DOE announced nearly $2 billion for 31 grid projects in 26 states.
  • The upgrades are expected to yield more than 23 gigawatts of additional effective capacity, serving about 16 million homes.
  • DOE says the program could improve reliability and help lower electricity costs for around 100 million Americans.
  • Projects will enhance equipment on 1,500+ miles of transmission lines and add technology across nearly 21,000 miles of grid.
  • Federal funding of $1.9 billion will be matched by $3.35 billion in cost-share from recipients, financed under the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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