Trump Administration Cancels $4.9 Billion Loan Guarantee for Major Renewable Energy Project

The Trump administration has canceled a $4.9 billion loan guarantee for the Grain Belt Express, a 780-mile transmission project aimed at delivering renewable energy from the Great Plains to cities in the East. The Department of Energy announced the termination of the loan guarantee for the first phase of the project, a 542-mile high-voltage direct current power line stretching from southwest Kansas to Missouri.
The decision marks the latest setback for the $11 billion project, which began more than a decade ago. The Biden administration had awarded a conditional loan guarantee to the project’s developer, Chicago-based Invenergy, in its final days. However, the Trump administration criticized the commitment as “rushed out the door” and aligned with its efforts to roll back clean energy initiatives.
This move is part of a broader shift under the Trump administration, which has targeted renewable energy projects through executive orders and legislation. The cancellation is a significant blow to the renewable energy sector, as the Grain Belt Express was one of the nation’s largest transmission projects and a key component of efforts to expand clean energy infrastructure.
Officials with Invenergy, led by billionaire Michael Polsky, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the project’s future. The decision underscores ongoing challenges for clean energy projects amid shifting federal priorities.

Published: 7/24/2025