12. Department of Energy and Related Commissions · Notable
End DOE and GDO grid planning that benefits renewable developers
Printed page 381 12. Department of Energy and Related Commissions
“End DOE/GDO’s role in grid planning for the benefit of renewable developers. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and IIJA, DOE is to perform grid congestion studies and has authority to identify National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC).”
What has happened
- Partially done
The Secretary of Energy announced that DOE will not designate the three proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors selected in December 2024 — Lake Erie-Canada, Southwestern Grid Connector and Tribal Energy Access — saying the designation framework had proved ineffective and served a climate agenda rather than reliability. Partial rather than done: DOE keeps the NIETC authority and the congestion-study role, releasing a draft 2026 National Transmission Needs Study in July 2026.
Research log
What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence
Research notes
The Quote names the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and IIJA grid congestion studies and the NIETC designation authority. The corridors are canceled; the statutory role is not ended and would need Congress.
#1034 rides the same announcement on the state-interests reading.
- Action
- eliminate
- Object
- DOE/GDO grid planning role
- ID
- 967