U.S. T&D Providers Line Up $3 Billion in Third-Quarter Kickoffs

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--With more data center projects in the works and demand rising for electric vehicle-recharging stations, utilities across the U.S. are racing to keep pace with the growing need for stronger transmission and distribution (T&D) systems to handle the increasing load. Industrial Info is tracking more than $3 billion worth of T&D projects that are set to kick off across the U.S. in the third quarter, with more than half attributed to projects in the U.S. Southwest and Great Lakes regions.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top 10 U.S. states for T&D project kickoffs in the third quarter, by total investment value.

One of the larger multi-phase projects set to begin in the coming months is Georgia Transmission Corporation's (Tucker, Georgia) East Central Georgia Reliability Project, which is designed to improve energy access across much of the Peach State. Components include a 46.5-mile, $165 million line from Monroe to Eatonton, which will connect the existing East Walton Substation in Monroe to the $55 million Rockville Switching Station in Eatonton, also set to begin construction in the third quarter.

A smaller, 10.2-mile, $25 million line from Monroe to Watkinsville will connect the East Walton Substation to the $18 million Bethabara Substation in Watkinsville, also set to kick off in the coming months. Each of these components currently is expected to wrap up in the summer of 2027. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can read detailed reports on the Monroe-to-Eatonton line, Rockville Switching Station, Monroe-to-Watkinsville line and Bethabara Substation.

Among the largest T&D providers in the U.S., Xcel Energy Incorporated (Minneapolis, Minnesota) is building out its system in the Great Plains with the Hampton-Helena Transmission Project, which will connect facilities in South Dakota and Minnesota. A 60-mile, $102 million line will connect the Brookings County Substation in White, South Dakota, to the Lynn County Substation in Marshall, Minnesota, with $4 million and $10 million in upgrades to each substation, respectively.

Brian Van Abel, the chief financial officer of Xcel, said in a recent quarterly earnings-related conference call that the buildout of data centers in the north-central U.S. was influencing the need for stronger T&D systems: "We're also seeing growing interest in the Dakotas. There was a land sale last year in South Dakota to a data center. So, we continue to receive inbound inquiries and have a strong [project] pipeline."

The project will continue with a 32.8-mile, $42 million line from the Lynn County Substation to the Helena Substation in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, which will receive $10 million in upgrades. Construction of these components is set to wrap up by the end of third-quarter 2026. Subscribers can read detailed reports on the White-to-Marshall line and the Marshall-to-Belle Plaine line, and the upgrades to the Brookings County, Lynn County and Helena substations.

Dominion Energy Incorporated (Richmond, Virginia), a leading energy provider in the Mid-Atlantic Region, is preparing for a $65 million expansion of its Bristers Substation in Catlett, Virginia. It is part of Dominion's broader Loudoun County Reliability Project, which will replace roughly 19 miles of line that has reached its end of service life. The project also includes the removal and retirement of several infrastructure assets to conform to current industry standards, according to the company. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

Other T&D projects cater to specific facilities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to begin construction on a $70.5 million microgrid at a U.S. Army base in Rock Island, Illinois, which will be powered by 14 MW of natural gas and 3 MW of solar generation. The facility already is fueled by a 2.8-MW hydro-electric plant; when combined with the newly sourced power, plus a 0.4-MW battery energy-storage system (BESS), the base will be provided with up to 20 MW. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

The University of California at San Diego is improving the energy supply for its campus with $7.9 million in replacements at its East Campus Switch Station in La Jolla, California. The university is replacing three existing sections of medium-voltage switchgear at the station, located at one of the campus libraries. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Subscribers can click here for a full list of detailed reports for T&D projects that are set to kick off across the U.S. in the third quarter.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).