News

DOE cancels loan for major electric power line project, company aims to build it anyway

IPB News | By Rebecca Thiele

Published July 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM EDT

Transmission lines can carry any kind of energy — including natural gas and coal — but an interconnected grid is especially important for renewables. It can bring solar or wind power to a state on a day where the sun might not be shining or the wind might not be blowing.

The U.S. Department of Energy canceled its loan for a major electric power line project that would run from western Kansas to Indiana's border with Illinois.

The agency said the nearly $5 billion loan commitment was "rushed out the door" during the final days of the Biden administration.

But the Grain Belt Express line isn't necessarily dead. In a statement, the company behind the project said it still plans to build the transmission line with private funding while advancing the president's goals for "American energy and technology dominance."

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pushed to terminate the loan for the Grain Belt Express. He said it takes land away from Missouri farmers and ranchers.

Advocates said the power line project would help ensure reliability on the grid while allowing Indiana utilities to purchase cheap, clean power.

Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or on Signal at IPBenvironment.01. Follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.