DOE backs 31 projects to unlock 23 GW

The U.S. Department of Energy selected 31 grid-improvement projects across 26 states, combining $5.25 billion in federal and recipient funding to make more than 23 gigawatts of capacity available, according to the DOE’s SPARK announcement. The package pairs $1.9 billion in federal money with $3.35 billion in cost share, reconductors more than 1,500 miles of lines, and deploys grid-enhancing technologies across nearly 21,000 miles. For AI builders, this is capacity relief rather than a data-center connection; Anthropic’s megawatt cost analysis shows why interconnection and power contracts remain gating items.