The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will not move forward with the designation of three proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs) that had been selected in December 2024 to advance in the review process.

The three proposed corridors were the Lake Erie–Canada Corridor, Southwestern Grid Connector Corridor and Tribal Energy Access Corridor. DOE said its decision followed a review that included public feedback and stakeholder input.

“Transmission policy must serve the American people—not special interests or a climate-alarmist agenda,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in announcing the decision. He said the administration is focused on policies intended to support affordable, reliable and secure electricity.

NIETCs are areas designated by DOE where transmission development is considered to be in the national interest. The designation process can provide a pathway for addressing certain transmission development challenges, including situations in which projects face difficulties obtaining state or local approval.

DOE said its review found that the current designation process for the three proposed corridors should not continue. The department also said the process had created confusion in some communities about the scope and intent of NIETC authority.

The decision comes as the administration pursues other initiatives to expand and upgrade the nation's transmission infrastructure.

Recent DOE actions cited by the department include:

• In October 2025, DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing closed a $1.6 billion loan guarantee to AEP Transmission for reconductoring and rebuilding nearly 5,000 miles of transmission lines across five states.
• In February 2026, the office closed $26.5 billion in loans to Southern Company subsidiaries Georgia Power and Alabama Power for generation and grid investments, including more than 1,300 miles of transmission and grid enhancement projects.
• In March 2026, DOE's Office of Electricity announced a $1.9 billion SPARK funding opportunity focused on increasing grid capacity, reliability and affordability.
• In July 2026, DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing closed an approximately $3.3 billion loan to AEP Texas for projects involving the construction, rebuilding or reconductoring of more than 2,800 miles of transmission lines.
• Also in July, DOE released the draft 2026 National Transmission Needs Study, which identifies transmission needs associated with growing electricity demand.

DOE said the NIETC decision is consistent with recent administration policy guidance, including the executive orders “Unleashing American Energy” and “Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid,” as well as Wright's February 2025 Secretarial Order, “Unleashing the Golden Era of American Energy Dominance.”