Four US senators file a bipartisan permitting bill for data centres, grid lines and power plants

Serguey Asael Shinder06 October 2026, 22:431 min read

Four US senators, two Republicans and two Democrats, introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 on 4 October, Energy-Storage.news reported the following day. The bill runs to more than 400 pages.

What it would do. It proposes faster permitting and environmental review for energy projects, covering data centres, grid infrastructure, and both renewable and fossil fuel projects. It would also require data centre operators to pay for transmission costs associated with their facilities.

The sponsors' case. Senator Martin Heinrich (Democrat, New Mexico) said the country has an opportunity to "build more generation, expand our grid, create more jobs, lower energy costs". Senator Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, West Virginia) said it would transform the country's ability to power its economy "while continuing to protect the land, water, and wildlife".

The reactions, split.

• Sierra Club: still reviewing the package, but concerned it could speed up oil and gas infrastructure, and that it "cannot guarantee that more wind and solar projects will actually get built" while the administration blocks them.
• SEIA (solar industry): welcomed it as the bipartisan action needed to meet demand and deploy more solar and storage.
• Crux (clean energy finance): called it a critical step, saying its research shows current permitting slows deployment and raises costs.
• E2 (business group): wants reform that gets transmission built, and says it must also end the administration's blocks on clean energy permits.

Introduction is the first step; the bill still has to pass committee and both chambers.