WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA), Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy, and Peter Welch (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development Energy, and Credit, today introduced the Reconductoring Existing Wires for Infrastructure Reliability and Expansion (REWIRE) Act of 2026, new bipartisan legislation to modernize the nation’s electric grid and meet America’s growing energy demand. This bill cuts permitting delays, incentivizes advanced transmission upgrades, strengthens state grid planning, and accelerates the deployment of innovative grid technologies to lower costs and improve grid reliability for American families and businesses.
“Electricity demand in Pennsylvania and across America is rising rapidly and that requires innovative solutions to strengthen our electric grid and cut through the bureaucracy that is holding us back,” said Senator McCormick. “The bipartisan REWIRE Act is exactly the kind of commonsense fix we need. It leverages existing infrastructure we already have, brings down costs, and stops years of unnecessary permitting delays from standing in the way of real progress.”
“We’re up against the clock when it comes to meeting America’s growing energy needs. Increasing the capacity of the grid by accelerating the permitting process and incentivizing practices like reconductoring will not only allow us to connect new and affordable clean energy to the grid–it’ll also save consumers money,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator McCormick on this bipartisan effort to upgrade America’s grid and meet the energy demand of the future.”
After two decades of stagnation, American electricity demand is projected to rise by as much as 5.7% by 2030 — the fastest increase since the 1960s. Meeting this demand will require nearly 5,000 miles of new high-capacity transmission lines each year, according to the Department of Energy. Yet in 2024, only 322 miles of new high-voltage transmission were completed.
The REWIRE Act provides a commonsense path forward: rather than building new infrastructure from scratch, it upgrades existing transmission lines with advanced conductors that can double capacity (a process known as “reconductoring”). By reducing congestion and bypassing lengthy permitting requirements, reconductoring could reduce grid costs by $85 billion by 2035 and $180 billion by 2050.
Specifically, the REWIRE Act of 2026 will:
- Streamline environmental reviews by creating a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for projects that increase grid capacity within existing rights-of-way, including reconductoring with advanced conductors, deploying grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), and deploying energy storage.
- Incentivize modern transmission upgrades by directing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to improve the return on equity for reconductoring projects, encouraging wider adoption of advanced transmission conductors.
- Expand funding flexibility by allowing State Energy Offices to use Department of Energy (DOE) State Energy Program funds to conduct feasibility studies for reconductoring and GETs projects.
- Build a regional knowledge network by establishing regional collaboratives between DOE, National Laboratories, and universities to evaluate grid performance and identify high-impact opportunities for advanced conductor and GET deployment.
- Share best practices nationally by authorizing DOE to assist transmission developers and create a national clearinghouse of advanced transmission technology applications, case studies, and best practices.
Read the full bill text here.
“We welcome the bipartisan leadership of Senators McCormick and Welch to address the urgent need for reliable and affordable power for Pennsylvanians and communities across the country through this critical legislation,” said Joe Mastrangelo, Chief Executive Officer of Eos Energy. “As energy demand continues to rise, Eos stands ready to deliver American‑made energy storage solutions that improve efficiency, accelerate speed‑to‑power, and enhance affordability for ratepayers—goals the REWIRE Act is designed to advance.”
“We are grateful to Senator McCormick for his bipartisan leadership on the REWIRE Act. As electricity demand continues to rise, it is critical that we strengthen and modernize the nation’s linear infrastructure. Targeted, commonsense permitting reforms that allow upgrades within existing rights-of-way can help unlock additional grid capacity more efficiently and cost-effectively. This proposal addresses one component of a broader permitting challenge, and while there is more work to do, we support all pragmatic efforts that streamline unnecessarily burdensome processes and accelerate the delivery of reliable energy to the markets where it is needed most.” – Toby Z. Rice, President and CEO, EQT
“Thank you to Senator McCormick for introducing the REWIRE Act. This is an important step forward on comprehensive permitting reform, a long-standing priority of our members,”said Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference. “This region has been a top energy producer for our nation for generations. REWIRE would ensure the power we produce can get to where it’s needed most without unnecessary delays. As we position for future growth, these reforms will allow us to capitalize on an ‘all of the above’ energy approach when it comes to leveraging the region’s assets, expertise, and emerging opportunities for the 10-county SWPA region.”
“America needs a smarter, stronger grid to promote American energy security, AI leadership, and manufacturing competitiveness. The REWIRE Act, introduced by Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Peter Welch (D-VT), positions the U.S. to optimize our existing grid through American innovation – delivering more power with greater efficiency and affordability to American homes and businesses. We commend these bipartisan efforts to streamline the permitting for and industry adoption of innovative grid technologies that let American energy move,” said ClearPath Action CEO Jeremy Harrell.
“PPL is building the utilities of the future by deploying advanced technologies across our grid. In 2022, PPL Electric Utilities became the first U.S. electric utility to fully integrate dynamic line ratings—a grid‑enhancing technology—into real‑time operations with PJM. While not a substitute for needed new transmission, GETs can unlock additional capacity from existing infrastructure, improve efficiency, and reduce congestion costs for customers. We applaud Senator McCormick’s leadership in introducing the REWIRE Act and welcome continued collaboration with our federal partners to help scale proven solutions nationwide for the benefit of our customers.”– Vincent Sorgi, president and chief executive officer of PPL Corporation
“ACC Action, on behalf of our thousands of grassroots members, is happy to endorse Senator McCormick’s REWIRE Act. This bill will allow us to get more electricity out of existing infrastructure without wasting years on redundant environmental approvals. The federal government should not be spending time and money on thousands of pages of reports for land that has already been developed. By doubling down on existing transmission infrastructure, we can save pristine lands, protect farmland, and prevent duplicative construction across the country.” – American Conservation Coalition Action (ACC Action)
“The electric industry is facing unprecedented challenges. In order to keep up with increasing demand while still maintaining affordable and reliable service, utilities need to have access to every tool in the toolbox. This legislation would help utilities increase capacity along existing transmission corridors and do so quickly while reducing costs. I applaud Sen. McCormick and Sen. Welch for working in a bipartisan manner to address these critical infrastructure issues and I urge the Senate to take up this legislation.”– Steve Brame, President & CEO, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association and Allegheny Electric Cooperative
“Advanced transmission technologies, including high-performance conductors and grid-enhancing technologies, are a common-sense way to increase the overall capacity and efficiency of our existing grid infrastructure, boost reliability, and lower energy prices. We applaud Sens. Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Peter Welch (D-VT) for the introduction of the REWIRE Act, which would aid in the deployment of these next-generation grid technologies,” said Michele Stockwell, president of Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action).
“Rising electricity demand related to reindustrialization, electrification, and U.S. leadership in AI is one of the most pressing issues facing policymakers today,” said Securing America’s Future Energy CEO Avery Ash. “The REWIRE Act charts a decisive path to expand the capacity of our electric grid, fortifying America’s national security and economic strength. It recognizes that scaling advanced transmission technologies and deploying energy storage are essential tools to unlock that capacity, delivering results now as we build the grid of the future.”
“At a time when families and businesses are facing rising electricity costs, the REWIRE Act offers a market-driven solution to expand grid capacity at lower cost. By enabling advanced conductors and grid-enhancing technologies within existing rights-of-way, this legislation can reduce congestion, improve efficiency, and help keep rates stable. Smart infrastructure upgrades are a win for reliability and a win for ratepayers.” – John Szoka, CEO of the Conservative Energy Network
“Grid reliability and affordability depend on faster, common-sense upgrades. FAI Action applauds Senators Welch and McCormick for introducing the REWIRE Act and supports this effort to accelerate grid development in existing corridors.” – Foundation for American Innovation
“Modernizing the electric grid is essential to keeping America competitive. The REWIRE Act takes bipartisan steps to cut red tape and accelerate capacity additions on existing infrastructure, including reconductoring, grid-enhancing technologies, and storage,”said NEMA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Spencer Pederson. “This bill helps move more energy faster along existing corridors without sacrificing responsible oversight, and it’s a commonsense, near-term way to add capacity and strengthen reliability.”
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