IIJA SPARK: Transmission Tech Upgrades for Grid Infrastructure Funding Opportunity

Grants.gov Open Opportunities

Published March 12th, 2026

Detected March 13th, 2026

Summary

The National Energy Technology Laboratory has announced the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) SPARK funding opportunity, DE-FOA-0003580, for transmission technology upgrades. The program aims to enhance electric grid capacity and reliability, with awards ranging from $250,000,000 to $1,900,000,000.

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What changed

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), DE-FOA-0003580, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) SPARK program. This initiative seeks to fund projects that upgrade electric grid infrastructure through reconductoring and advanced transmission technologies to meet load demand, improve resource adequacy, and enhance national, interregional, and regional grid needs. The program prioritizes projects demonstrating measurable improvements in grid capacity and system value, combining physical upgrades with operational efficiency to increase transfer capability, reliability, and affordability.

Eligible applicants, including states, local governments, tribes, and power system operators, must submit applications through Grants.gov by May 20, 2026. The funding opportunity aims to award a single project with a minimum of $250,000,000 and a maximum of $1,900,000,000, requiring a cost-sharing or matching contribution. The NETL is seeking applications that can be implemented quickly to deliver durable physical upgrades and dynamic operational gains, thereby improving the nation's electric grid performance, security, resilience, affordability, and reliability. Failure to comply with application requirements or eligibility criteria may result in disqualification.

What to do next

Review eligibility requirements in Section II.A of the NOFO.
Prepare and submit applications through Grants.gov by May 20, 2026.
Ensure applications demonstrate measurable improvements in electric grid capacity and system value, combining physical upgrades with operational efficiency.

Source document (simplified)

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK)

Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory

Assistance Listings: 81.254 -- Grid Infrastructure Deployment and Resilience

Last Updated: March 12, 2026 View version history on Grants.gov

Description

SPARK is an opportunity to meet load demand growth and resource adequacy, and to address critical national, interregional, and regional needs. OE achieves these goals by stimulating investment in power system infrastructure and building partnerships between states, local governments, tribes, and power system operators to enhance reliability and affordability of the electric grid.

Projects submitted under this NOFO must demonstrate measurable improvements in electric grid capacity and system value (usefulness), combining physical capacity gains, which include solutions such as reconductoring or other infrastructure upgrades with operational efficiency and/or flexibility from other Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs). Applications must show how these complementary technologies expand transfer capability, strengthen reliability and resource adequacy, and reduce consumer cost impact while utilizing existing rights of way. DOE will prioritize projects that can be implemented quickly to deliver durable physical upgrades and dynamic operational gains that together increase the value, performance, security, resilience, affordability, and reliability of the nation’s electric grid.

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