Trump administration threatens 92 GW of new electricity supply with red tape

Where the U.S. has been able to add new power plants, renewables have been the largest contributor. Solar, batteries, and wind represented nearly 90% of the record 53 GW of new generating capacity added in 2025.

The increased permitting friction stems from an August 2025 order from Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, which sought to “reign in environmentally damaging wind and solar projects.” 

While wind and solar have been the main targets, energy storage projects have been canceled, too, the Wood Mackenzie report found. Most of the permitting woes are concentrated in Oregon, Alabama, Maine, Minnesota, and Montana.

Solar projects sited on or near private wetlands appear to be most at risk, while wind farms have been scrutinized under airspace regulations. It’s unclear how solar projects will be affected in the coming years given the Trump administration’s recent decision to lift protections for 80% of U.S. wetlands. 

Burgum’s order is a marked shift from his previous tenure as governor of North Dakota, during which he oversaw an expansion of wind power within the state and set a target for it to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030. As recently as 2024, he was boasting about North Dakota’s rich wind resources, which produced a third of the state’s electricity in 2022.