The Bipartisan American Affordability & Jobs Act, or BAAJA, has surfaced as a 417-page permitting reform package that supporters call the most meaningful in U.S. history. The bill would expand FERC's role in transmission siting and planning, boost grid-enhancing technologies, reform interconnection processes, and establish special cost-allocation rules for data centers. Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico said the bill will put more energy on the grid, create good-paying jobs, and lower electricity costs, while Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah predicted passage in a lame-duck session after the midterms.
Alongside the legislative push, several project milestones highlight the industry's momentum. Black & Veatch completed Three W Solar, a 150 MWdc utility-scale facility near Hillsboro, Texas, for Mitsui & Co. — the Japanese firm's first U.S. utility-scale solar project. The project can power up to 45,000 homes and has received ERCOT approval. Separately, TurningPoint Energy and Nautilus partnered on a six-project Delaware community solar portfolio expected to deliver nearly $35 million in energy savings, with a combined $240,000 committed to local nonprofits. Lydian Energy closed a $300 million holding company credit facility, and Ørsted is contributing $100,000 to Playa Lakes Joint Venture for wetland restoration near its New Mexico operations.
The BAAJA transmission provisions could directly support projects like Three W Solar by enabling interregional planning and giving shared high-voltage lines special treatment, with FERC able to step in if states attempt to intercede. The bill would also provide a common cost-allocation method, which the industry has long sought. If passed, these changes would alter how electric infrastructure is planned, sited, and built, potentially accelerating the very type of utility-scale solar and community solar development reflected in the Delaware and Texas projects.
What remains unknown is whether BAAJA will actually receive a vote. The bill won't come up until after the midterms, if at all, and its fate depends on a lame-duck session. The dossier does not specify the exact legislative timeline, committee assignments, or whether the $300 million Lydian facility and Ørsted's New Mexico activity are directly tied to BAAJA's provisions. The evidence also does not confirm whether the Delaware community solar portfolio has reached commercial operation or remains in development.