DOE report shows pressing need for more electric transmission infrastructure to power a reliable and secure grid
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) today released a draft of the 2026 National Transmission Needs Study (Needs Study) for a 60-day public comment period. The Needs Study report shows that there is a pressing need for additional electric transmission infrastructure due to load growth from data centers, expanding domestic manufacturing, large industrial loads, and a growing economy.
Required by the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Needs Study (formally known as the National Electric Transmission Congestion Study) identifies high impact needs and provides information about current and anticipated future capacity constraints and congestion on the nation’s electric transmission grid. Its findings consistently support better transmission planning and investment decisions, help identify opportunities to lower system costs, and contribute to a more affordable, reliable and secure electric grid for American consumers. DOE seeks public comment to help inform how the agency will address these needs with investments and planning.
“Electricity demand is accelerating faster than anything we’ve seen in decades, driven in part by data centers, manufacturing growth, and new forms of industry that are emerging almost by the month,” said Assistant Secretary of the Office of Electricity Catherine Jereza. “The Needs Study makes it clear that we must work together with local communities, industry, states, Tribes, and regional reliability entities to meet this moment with clear direction for transmission planning.”
Key findings of the draft report include the following:
-
There is a pressing need for additional electric transmission infrastructure due to load growth from data centers, expanding domestic manufacturing, large industrial loads, and the electrification of industries. Transmission is needed to maintain reliability to account for new generation interconnection, new load interconnection and congestion relief. The majority of transmission congestion is concentrated in 5% of the hours particularly during times with significant day-ahead to real-time market price variance, high net load, cold weather, and high intermittent generation. Regions like New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), NorthernGrid South, and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) show the highest potential for new, within region transmission to relieve high congestion costs.
-
Interregional transmission is increasingly recognized for its multifold benefits to consumers. Specifically, interregional transmission contributes to an increase in reliability, grid resiliency, and meeting demand growth in at risk areas. Using historical locational marginal prices, cross-interconnection links—for example, between Western Interconnection (West Connect) and Eastern Interconnection (Southwest Power Pool)—as well as interregional links particularly between NorthernGrid and WestConnect, and between ISO New England (ISO-NE) and NYISO—show some of the highest potential for transmission congestion value.
-
Many Regional Transmission Operators and Independent System Operators are approving their largest transmission portfolios, in anticipation of the driving need for increased transmission. Regions like MISO, Southwest Power Pool (SPP), PJM Interconnection (PJM), and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) have recently approved some of their largest transmission portfolios. In 2024, MISO approved the largest transmission portfolio ever undertaken in the U.S.
The Needs Study identifies key national needs that can inform investments and planning decisions. DOE is inviting feedback on this draft report from local communities, Tribal Nations, states, and regional reliability entities, as well as the general public, by opening a public comment period and hosting in-person roundtables in the summer of 2026 across the country. DOE will review comments received and incorporate them into the final study as appropriate. Direct public feedback is critical to bridging the gap between DOE’s analytical research and the dynamic, localized energy demands currently shaping the nation’s grid.
Comments on this draft study are due by September 7, 2026. An informational webinar has been posted and is available for viewing now on the Office of Electricity’s website at https://www.energy.gov/oe/national-transmission-needs-study.
|
