NEWS: The DOE is hitting the brakes on a federal effort to fast-track interstate transmission.

What happened: In 2024, the Biden administration pinpointed three clogged corridors that would benefit from federal funding and streamlined permitting for new lines. These included stretches of Indigenous reservations and parts of the Southwest. Now, Energy Sec. Chris Wright is putting the kibosh on this effort.

Why? The DOE claimed that the corridor designation process “contributed to confusion and concern” in some communities. The agency also said that the Biden administration promoted the corridors as “a means to advance their Green New Scam agenda and ‘accelerate decarbonization.’” 

The big picture: This highlights a key sticking point in the federal permitting reform debate. Democrats’ POV: We need interstate lines to widen the reach of clean energy. But prominent Republicans have opposed federal intervention in transmission infrastructure (and want to leave lines up to states and utilities).  

Yes, but: The DOE noted that it has already shelled out billions for transmission upgrades around the country, including a $3.3B loan to AEP Texas and $26.5B to Georgia Power and Alabama Power.