How Trump's clean energy cuts will leave Americans vulnerable to more frequent power outages

"That includes investments in grid modernization, energy storage, and efforts to protect communities from outages during extreme weather and cyberattacks. Ending these projects leaves Americans vulnerable to more frequent and longer-lasting power outages. The Department of Energy has defended the cancellations, saying that "the projects did not adequately advance the nation's energy needs, were not economically viable and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.""

"Yet before any funds are actually released through these programs, each grant must pass evaluations based on the department's standards. Those include rigorous assessments of technical merits, potential risks, and cost-benefit analyses-all designed to ensure alignment with national energy priorities and responsible stewardship of public funds."

"The dollar-value estimates vary, and some of the money has already been spent. A list of canceled projects maintained by energy analysis company Yardsale totals about US$5 billion. An Oct. 2, 2025, announcement from the department touts $7.5 billion in cuts to 321 awards across 223 projects. Additional documents leaked to Politico reportedly identified additional awards under review. Some media reports suggest the full value of at-risk commitments may reach $24 billion -a figure that has not been publicly confirmed or refuted by the Trump administration."

Federal cancellations and freezes of clean energy funding are disrupting investments in grid modernization, energy storage, and measures to protect communities from outages during extreme weather and cyberattacks. These actions increase vulnerability to more frequent and longer-lasting power outages. The Department of Energy characterized the canceled projects as failing to advance national energy needs, lacking economic viability, and unlikely to provide a positive taxpayer return. Grants undergo pre-award evaluations of technical merits, risks, and cost-benefit alignment with national energy priorities. Many canceled grants constituted foundational investments in science and infrastructure required to maintain grid reliability under stress. Reported at-risk funding estimates range from about $5 billion to possibly $24 billion.

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