States Move to Route Power Lines Along Highways
Six states have enacted laws enabling high-voltage transmission along highway and rail rights of way, as federal officials propose a supporting program.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Utilities
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Should federal and state governments build power lines along highways and rail lines?
Six states have authorized transmission lines along highways, and Wisconsin has already deployed 28 lines totaling more than 200 miles. The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed a federal program to support colocating transmission lines along highway and rail corridors.
Why it matters
Building transmission on existing rights of way could ease the siting challenges that slow grid expansion. A 2023 Department of Energy study projected a need for 47,000 more GW-miles of transmission by 2035.
The U.S. has 48,000 miles of interstate highway and 140,000 miles of freight rail lines that could host new transmission, according to the figures cited. The number of corridors the federal program will approve has not been determined.
The players
NextGen Highways
NextGen Highways is an advocacy initiative funded by Bill Gates that promotes placing transmission lines along highways and rail corridors.
U.S. Department of Transportation
The U.S. Department of Transportation is the federal agency that proposed a program to support transmission lines along highways and rail lines through public-private partnerships.
U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy is the federal agency that published the 2023 transmission need study and canceled three proposed transmission corridors in August.
The details
Underground high-voltage AC or DC transmission could be installed along existing highway and rail rights of way, and corridors selected by the Department of Transportation would receive technical assistance from a team of federal experts. Three proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors were canceled by the Department of Energy in August, while NextGen Highways, funded by Bill Gates, has advocated for the approach alongside The Nature Conservancy and Audubon.
Timeline
- 2022: Discussion of enabling transmission along rights of way began.
- 2023: The U.S. Department of Energy published its study projecting transmission need.
- August: The Department of Energy canceled three proposed transmission corridors.
- 2035: Projected year for a 47,000 GW-mile transmission need.
Market Landscape
The proposed rights-of-way approach follows the Department of Energy's canceled National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, marking a shift toward alternative siting paths for grid expansion. It positions state and federal policy around existing infrastructure corridors rather than new land acquisition for utilities.
If transmission lines are built along highways near your home or business, the path may affect land use and local construction near those corridors. Electricity rates and reliability depend on how quickly the projected grid expansion is completed.
The takeaway
Routing power lines along existing highways and rail lines offers a way to add grid capacity without clearing new corridors. Readers should watch how the federal program and state processes define which routes are approved.
Further reading
Explore more on Utilities for context on how grid expansion is being planned across the United States.
Source note: This article includes information reported by pv magazine USA.
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Should federal and state governments build power lines along highways and rail lines?
