Energy Department Backs Major Grid Expansion Across Eight States to Strengthen Reliability and Lower Electricity Costs

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced plans to lower electricity costs and strengthen grid reliability by supporting the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in funding 84 transmission and distribution projects across eight states. The projects are expected to add approximately 2.5 gigawatts (GW) of grid capacity to help mitigate outages and create greater grid resilience. The TVA award is for approximately $581 million in total, including $250 million in federal funding and about $331 million in applicant cost-share funding.

As part of the Resilience Amplified: Multi-Market Grid Interconnection Initiative funding award under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) project, the investments will help ensure 2.58 million families and businesses have access to the affordable, reliable, and secure power they need. The project is estimated to support about 800 jobs.

"Since day one, President Trump has recognized that years of misguided energy policies under the previous administration left our bulk power system less robust than it should be," said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly. "America is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and some of the most advanced technology in the world, but we must have the generation and transmission infrastructure necessary to support our rapidly growing economy and its electricity needs. These investments with TVA will help reduce congestion, improve efficiency, and make better use of our existing transmission system to lower costs for ratepayers while delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy essential to American prosperity."

"America's electric grid cannot become a roadblock to economic growth," said Office of Electricity (OE) Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza. "By bringing TVA and local utilities together, we're helping reduce costly outages and deliver more power where it's needed. That means fewer disruptions for families, more opportunities for businesses, and a stronger foundation for American jobs."

The award builds on DOE's selection of TVA for the Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) program. Together, the GRIP and SPARK projects for TVA represent nearly $741 million in planned grid investment, including approximately $329.8 million in federal support, and are expected to add more than 4,300 MW of additional grid capacity.

Under SPARK, TVA plans to upgrade about 125 miles of existing transmission lines across Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina using advanced conductors and grid-management technology. The $159.7 million project is expected to add approximately 1,900 MW of transmission capacity and reduce congestion.

Final federal funding, project scope, schedules, and other award conditions remain subject to executed DOE agreements and applicable environmental, permitting, regulatory, and Tribal reviews.