The Department of Energy (DOE) will not move forward with assigning National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) status to three routes selected by the previous government to advance in the review process. "Extensive review, including public feedback and stakeholder input, made clear that the current designation process for these three proposed transmission corridors should not continue", Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in an online statement. "Transmission policy must serve the American people - not special interests or a climate-alarmist agenda that drives up costs, worsens reliability and disregards the concerns of local communities". The Lake Erie-Canada Corridor included parts of the Mid-Atlantic-Canada Phase 2 potential NIETC, focusing on Lake Erie and an area in northern Pennsylvania. The corridor was expected to enable connections between Canada and the PJM Interconnection region, according to the "Notice of Early Public and Governmental Engagement for Potential Designation" published on the Federal Register on December 16, 2024. Also canceled was the Southwestern Grid Connector Corridor, which included portions of the Phase 2 Mountain-Plains-Southwest and Plains-Southwest potential NIETCs. The Southwestern Grid Connector Corridor consisted of parts of Colorado, New Mexico and the Oklahoma panhandle. "This potential NIETC focuses on the seam between the Eastern and Western Interconnections including back-to-back high-voltage direct current substations which can support interregional and cross-interconnection transmission opportunities", the official document says. The third corridor canceled by DOE, the Tribal Energy Access Corridor, included portions of the Phase 2 Northern Plains potential NIETC. The Tribal Energy Access Corridor spanned North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. "The potential Tribal Energy Access Corridor primarily follows existing transmission line rights-of-way, and connects the Cheyenne River Reservation, Pine Ridge Reservation, Rosebud Indian Reservation, Standing Rock Reservation and Yankton Reservation to existing or under development higher-voltage transmission lines, which can enable Tribal energy and economic development", the Federal Register document says. "Critically, long-distance transmission lines built within these corridors can be permitted more quickly - overcoming what can be a more-than-decade-long process to get a long-distance transmission line built", the Environmental Defense Fund said in a statement condemning the cancelations. DOE noted in its statement, "Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Wright, DOE has already taken numerous steps to build new transmission infrastructure and modernize existing infrastructure".Advertisement - Scroll to continue DOE pointed to billions of loans it has approved to build, rebuild and reconductor transmission lines. Last month DOE and American Electric Power (AEP) Co's subsidiary in Texas announced financial close for a loan of up to $3.26 billion from the Trump administration's Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) Program. "In accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, the loan will finance approximately 100 transmission projects across Texas, including rebuilding or reconductoring existing transmission lines, and constructing new transmission infrastructure spanning roughly 2,800 miles", DOE said in a statement July 8. AEP said separately its Texas arm had signed letters of agreement supporting up to 41 gigawatts (GW) of potential load additions through 2030. The new loan is on top of a $1.6-billion guarantee that AEP earlier secured from the EDF Program. The guarantee will help "upgrade nearly 5,000 miles of transmission lines in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia while saving customers an estimated $275 million in financing costs over the life of the loan, benefits that customers will realize through lower costs in their bills", AEP said October 16, 2025. Earlier in 2026 Southern Co's Alabama Power and Georgia Power secured a total of up to $26.54 billion in EDF loans. "These loans represent the largest government investment aimed at directly lowering consumer energy costs and increasing grid reliability", DOE said February 25, 2026. The 30-year loans - around $22.42 billion for Georgia and around $4.09 billion for Alabama - could result in $7 billion in savings for 4.3 million customers, according to Southern. "The two loans will build or upgrade over 16 GW of firm reliable power to the electrical grid", DOE said. "This includes five GW of new gas generation, six GW in nuclear improved through uprates and license renewals, hydropower modernization, battery energy storage systems and over 1,300 miles of transmission and grid enhancement projects". To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
