The US Department of Energy announced on September 25, 2026 that it will provide $1.9 billion for 31 transmission and grid upgrade projects across 26 states. The program is named SPARK, short for Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades.
Recipients contribute $3.35 billion in cost-share, which brings the combined investment to $5.25 billion. The projects are expected to add more than 23 GW of grid capacity. Work includes reconductoring or rebuilding more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines with advanced conductors, and deploying grid-enhancing technologies across nearly 21,000 miles of line.
The stated purpose is to speed up connections for data centers and support industrial load growth by moving more electricity across existing infrastructure.
Southeastern utilities are among the recipients. Alabama Power receives $50 million for a Northeast Alabama smart grid deployment. An Entergy Mississippi project applies advanced transmission technologies across Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the investments aim to get more out of infrastructure the country already has and carry more power across the grid. Catherine Jereza, assistant secretary of the Office of Electricity, said the department is acting with urgency to strengthen the grid, lower costs and supply the energy infrastructure the country needs.
Reconductoring replaces existing wires on current towers with conductors that carry more current, which allows capacity to grow faster than new line construction in many cases.
Source: DatacenterDynamics - https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/doe-unveils-19bn-in-funding-for-31-grid-upgrade-projects-to-speed-data-center-connections/