$7.5B in clean energy grants canceled

Summary

DOE canceled about $7.56 billion in funding for 223 clean-energy projects, concentrated in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024; in January 2026 a federal judge ruled seven of the terminations, totaling $27.6 million, unconstitutional.

What happened

On October 1, 2025, the Department of Energy canceled about $7.56 billion in funding for 223 clean-energy projects approved under Biden, including more than $2 billion for two West Coast hydrogen hubs and grants for direct air capture hubs; the cuts were concentrated in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. In January 2026, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that seven of the terminations, totaling $27.6 million, violated the Fifth Amendment's equal protection guarantee because they were based on how the grantees' states voted.

Impact on the United States

Kills manufacturing jobs and grid-resilience projects, raises long-term energy costs, and forfeits domestic clean-energy competitiveness, with cancellations concentrated in politically opposed states.

Documented effects

1. Oct 2025About $7.56 billion in funding for 223 projects canceled, concentrated in states that voted for Harris[1][4]
2. More than $2 billion canceled for two West Coast hydrogen hubs (ARCHES in California and the Pacific Northwest hub)[2]
3. In January 2026 a federal judge ruled seven of the terminations ($27.6 million) unconstitutional and vacated them[4]

Why this is rated severe

Cancels about $7.56 billion for 223 clean-energy and grid projects, concentrated in states that voted for Harris; a federal judge ruled seven of the terminations unconstitutional because they were based on how grantees' states voted.

Corrections & updates [6]

Every change to a fact on this page after publication is logged here, newest first.

1. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedFigure

   The '321 grants' and '16 states' figures could not be found in any cited source. The Washington Post reports DOE canceled $7.56 billion for 223 projects, concentrated in Democratic-led states; Utility Dive describes them as projects in states that voted for Kamala Harris. E&E News reports more than $2 billion for two West Coast hydrogen hubs, not $2.2 billion. DOE announced the cuts late on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.[1][2][4]

2. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedStatus

   The court ruling was narrower than stated: in January 2026 Judge Amit Mehta (D.D.C.) vacated seven terminations totaling $27.6 million, finding the location-based cuts violated equal protection. The rest of the $7.56 billion in cancellations was not before the court.[4]

   Previously

   Federal judge later ruled the cancellations illegal

   Now

   In January 2026 a federal judge ruled seven of the terminations ($27.6 million) unconstitutional and vacated them

3. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedSource

   Source details corrected: the Utility Dive article is dated January 13, 2026 and is trade press (Tier 3), and the C&EN article is dated October 10, 2025.[3][4]

4. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedSummary

   Corrected the short description: the court ruling covered seven terminations totaling $27.6 million, not the cancellations as a whole, and the '16 states' figure is not in the cited sources. DOE's cancellation covered 321 awards across 223 projects (C&EN). E&E News is a specialist energy publication and is now labeled Tier 3.[3][4]

5. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedSeverity rationale

   Replaced 'destroys' with the documented cancellations and court finding. Severity unchanged.

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   Destroys clean-energy jobs and grid projects concentrated in states that backed Harris; a court found seven of the terminations unconstitutional.

   Now

   Cancels about $7.56 billion for 223 clean-energy and grid projects, concentrated in states that voted for Harris; a federal judge ruled seven of the terminations unconstitutional because they were based on how grantees' states voted.

6. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedDisplay copy

   The body said DOE canceled '321 awards'; that figure is not in the entry's record and could not be confirmed in its sources, so it was removed. The headline wording was also made neutral.[1][4]

Sources [4]