The paradigm defining the Nation’s energy system has fundamentally shifted, rapidly transitioning from decades of stagnant demand to an era of unprecedented, exponential load growth. Today's legacy grid must optimize to accommodate the load growth of hyperscale AI data centers and increasing domestic manufacturing, integrate new firm energy generation sources of coal, gas, and nuclear, and support accelerating building and transportation electrification. It must remain reliable and secure when facing severe weather events. As the backbone of the nation’s electricity system, the power grid must optimize and expand to fulfill its paramount mission: ensuring affordable, reliable, and secure electricity for all Americans.
The 60-day Public Comment and Consultation Period closes on September 7, 2026. Please ensure that all feedback on the Needs Study is submitted to NeedsStudy.Comments@hq.doe.gov.
Study Overview
The draft National Transmission Needs Study (Needs Study), released for public comment and consultation in July 2026, is an assessment of existing data and current and near-term future transmission needs. The Needs Study is an assessment of publicly available information and more than 120 recently published reports that consider historic and anticipated future needs given a range of electricity demand, public policy, and market conditions. The Needs Study is not intended to displace existing transmission planning processes and is not intended to identify specific transmission solutions to address identified needs, but it does identify key national needs that can inform investments and planning decisions.
The Needs Study fulfills a Congressional requirement to conduct assessments of national electric transmission capacity constraints and congestion not less frequently than once every 3 years. Prior to 2023, previous studies were limited to consider only historic transmission constraints and congestion. Since 2023, the expanded scope of this Study considers both historic and anticipated future capacity constraints and transmission congestion that could adversely affect consumers.
Key Findings of the Needs Study
1. There is a pressing need for additional transmission infrastructure due to load growth.
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.
2. Increasing 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 (SPP) — 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.
3. Many regional entities 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.
Resources
On July 9, 2026, DOE released the draft National Transmission Needs Study for public comment and feedback. For additional context and information regarding draft Study methodology and data, please refer to the Supplemental Material.
Read the FAQs to learn more.
In July 2026, DOE released a draft of the Needs Study to the states, tribes, and regional entities, to fulfill the statutory requirement to consult with these entities during the Needs Study drafting process. To ensure DOE satisfies the consultation requirements under section 216(a) of the Federal Power Act, states, tribes, and regional entities will receive a consultation draft study and will be given a 60-day period to provide comments. DOE will also conduct a series of audience-specific informational webinars for consultation entities and make staff available for phone calls and meetings to provide further information.
In conjunction with the draft release, DOE posted a pre-recorded informational webinar, providing an overview of the draft National Transmission Needs Study. DOE requests public comment and feedback on the analysis used, gaps, conclusions, or any other comments or suggestions for improving the public draft study during the same 60-day period.
Learn more about and read the previous National Transmission Needs Studies (formerly known as National Electric Transmission Congestion Studies):
Contact Us
Please submit any inquiries on the Needs Study to NeedsStudy.Comments@hq.doe.gov.