Waylon Brown

In towns across America, the lights still turn on each morning thanks to a grid built decades ago, some of it dating back to the 1950s. But that aging infrastructure, once the envy of the world, is now holding us back. If the United States is serious about reshoring manufacturing, revitalizing our steel industry, and leading the world in artificial intelligence and data, we need to face a hard truth: none of it is possible without building out the modern energy infrastructure to power it.

The U.S. electric grid is dangerously outdated. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), 70 percent of transmission lines are more than 25 years old. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave our energy infrastructure a C- grade in its most recent report card, citing reliability issues, congestion, and the need for major upgrades. As demand for electricity continues to rise, driven by the electrification of everything from vehicles to manufacturing, our current grid cannot keep up.

Transmission is the bottleneck. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that over 10,000 gigawatts of 21st century energy projects are stuck in interconnection queues, largely due to the lack of available transmission capacity. That is more than ten times the current total U.S. generating capacity. A 2023 study by Princeton University’s REPEAT Project concluded that the U.S. must more than double its transmission capacity by 2050 to meet future energy needs and ensure grid reliability.

Building more transmission is not just about enabling new power sources. It is about lowering costs. The DOE estimates that expanding and modernizing the transmission system could save American families up to 100 billion dollars in electricity costs over the next 20 years. Grid expansion allows power to flow from regions where it is most affordable and abundant to where it is needed most. That flexibility results in lower rates, fewer blackouts, and a more resilient economy.

Reliability is not optional. It is national security. Our economic competitors are watching, and so are U.S. companies deciding where to build the next steel mill, semiconductor plant, or data center. These businesses need not only abundant power, but predictable and affordable power. Transmission and power generation must grow together.

President Trump made it a national priority to bring back American manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. That vision must now be backed by action, especially when it comes to energy infrastructure. Steel mills, chip fabs, and EV plants do not run on vision statements. They run on electricity. The same is true for the booming AI and data center sectors, which are already driving up electricity demand across the country. A single hyperscale data center can use as much electricity as tens of thousands of homes. If we fail to invest in infrastructure now, we will lose our edge in the race for global innovation and security.

The stakes could not be higher. Without new infrastructure, the deployment of 21st century energy sources will stall. Without stable power, our manufacturing comeback will falter. Without modern transmission, our national security will be at risk. This is not just about energy policy. It is a matter of economic competitiveness and national defense.

The next great American comeback will not come from Washington alone. It will be built in substations, along transmission corridors, and by the men and women installing the steel and wire that connect this country. If we want to lead the world, we must power that ambition. It is time to build.

Waylon Brown is regional policy director for Clean Grid Alliance, a St. Paul, Minnesota- nonprofit organization.