We are living through a time that in later years may be referred to as a generational reinvestment era. America’s most critical infrastructure is being rebuilt, restructured, expanded and sustainably upgraded for future generations.
Decades old water and power infrastructure is rapidly being rebuilt in America. Water distribution systems, pipes, and treatment plants are deteriorating, dams, and stormwater systems along with electrical grids are struggling to meet current needs and expectations for resilience, stormwater management, flood protection, clean water, and power reliability.
Droughts, floods, wildfire-driven storms, and more intense heat waves have significantly stressed water supply, stormwater systems and power grids —a problem that will continue to persist without intervention. Planners are responding with large-scale reservoir or diversion projects, new water reuse systems, flood diversion channels, and grid hardening, micro-grids or massive battery storage to ensure resilience.
Huge federal and state infrastructure packages, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and its water-infrastructure provisions, unlocked an abundance of funding and low-interest loans programs in years past. That funding is almost gone now, but state and local governments are continuing to fund water and power infrastructure projects in various other ways.
As governments and utilities seek to decarbonize, many initiatives are underway to build out new renewable generation options. Transmission corridors, interregional cables and energy-storage capacity, battery storage, and pumped hydro are emerging. The country’s electricity system is being upgraded, not just expanded.
Many regions simply need more capacity, more water and electricity, to support expanding cities, agricultural demand, industrial investment, or new
“smart city” and coastal-development zones. Water reuse, new reservoirs or off-stream storage, and upgraded grids are all part of meeting current and projected demand. Cumulatively, the result is a surge in large-scale planning, permitting, and project launches in both water and power- often simultaneously because water and power infrastructure are so tightly interconnected.
Project volumes and the pace of investment vary significantly by region. Because of chronic drought and extreme water variability, California has some of the most aggressive reservoir and water-storage plans. Fast-growing metro areas in Texas, the Southeast and central U.S. are investing heavily in stormwater diversion, wastewater expansions, and water-reliability planning, as well as upgrading electricity transmission to keep up with population growth. Flood-prone regions of the Midwest and the Great Plains are launching projects to mitigate rising flood risk.
The following upcoming projects, now only in planning stages, are common to dozens or other similar initiatives throughout the U.S.
A $329.1 million grid modernization project has been announced for CPS Energy in San Antonio, Texas. The project led by CPS Energy, the city’s electric and natural gas utility system, will not only be designed to strengthen the electric grid but also to pave the way for additional renewable energy generation in South Texas. The project will call for construction of a new 345-kilovolt transmission line linking CPS Energy’s Howard Road station in Bexar County with STEC’s San Miguel station in Atascosa County. Spanning roughly 50 miles, the new pathway will add a critical transmission corridor into San Antonio reducing congestion on the existing grid, enhancing resilience during peak summer demand, and providing the capacity needed to integrate renewable power sources. Construction is scheduled to start in 2026.
Officials at the Jacksonville Public Utility Authority will move forward with the second expansion of the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). The Southwest WRF provides advanced nutrient removal for more than 20,000 customers. The $80 million project will raise the facility’s permitted average water capacity from 16 to 18 million gallons per day and this will allow it to meet the growing demand resulting from population growth.
Work will include a third four-stage advanced biological wastewater treatment system to deliver highly efficient nutrient removal. Project work will also include adding a third secondary clarifier to boost reliability and enhance plant performance. These additions will integrate with existing, upgraded facilities from Phase I renovations and the improvements will deliver a capability that can provide services for more than 20,000 additional residents. Solicitations for construction services are expected in August 2026 and a decision has been made to use a construction manager at-risk (CMAR) delivery model.
A large project, with a cost estimate of between $400 million and $650 million, will be launched on the campus of the University of Colorado Boulder. It will be designed as a comprehensive campus decarbonization plan to overhaul the institution’s aging district energy system. The work will replace the current steam-based heating network with a modern low-temperature hot water system powered by electrified technologies, such as high-efficiency heat pumps. The transition is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and establish a more resilient foundation for long-term campus growth.
The project will replace and upgrade distribution piping across campus and convert dozens of buildings to the updated system. Other project components include central-plant improvements, building-level heat exchangers, and future provisions for thermal storage. While cost estimates may change, the final estimate will be confirmed after the planning and design phases. Design work is ongoing, and construction is slated to begin in spring 2026.
New York State officials have allocated $136 million for a decarbonization project in Albany for the Empire State Plaza. This 98-acre complex, built in the 1970s, includes 12 million square feet of government offices, event venues, and public space. The campus also includes a dozen buildings and a tunnel network that rely on inefficient, outdated heating systems including a coal-burning steam plant and a central air conditioning plant.
Phase I of the effort will replace steam-driven chillers with electric units, add two new electric chillers, and install a heat-recovery chiller. These upgrades are projected to cut the Plaza’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 20%. Future phases will include relocating the state health lab, renovating office and public spaces, and creating a low-temperature thermal energy network. Together, these projects advance New York’s goal of a 40% GHG reduction. Funding for Phase I was made available in June 2025, and the design work is underway. Construction solicitations are expected in early 2026. The entire program, spanning four phases, will be completed over several years.
California state officials are moving forward with plans to launch a $4.7 billion project, which will result in one of the largest international offshore wind support facilities when completed. It will deliver a floating offshore wind terminal at the Port of Long Beach. The new wind terminal will be designed to expand renewable energy capacity through the floating offshore wind farms along the state’s coastline.
The new 400-acre terminal will feature a transportation corridor that enables vehicles and equipment to access the site efficiently and the work will call for expansive storage areas to accommodate blades, towers, and other oversized tools. The port will also be integrated with heavy lifting machinery and specialized platforms to enable final assembly of turbines. Additionally, wet basins and float-out corridors will be added for safe staging areas for completed turbines. Currently in the environmental review and design phase, the project is scheduled to begin construction in 2027. Development will follow a phased build out approach, with portions of the site becoming operational before full completion.
Officials in Watertown, New York, have announced a $29 million reservoir replacement project in Thompson Park that will be designed to strengthen the city’s drinking water system and resolve long-standing infrastructure concerns. The current 135-year-old reservoir has developed leaks and structural deterioration that make a total replacement necessary. In August 2025, the city council approved the issuance of bonds to finance the project which now enables the enabling design work to begin. The construction stage is expected to begin in mid-2026 and an anticipated completion date is approximately one year later in 2027.
Now is the time to reach out to public officials if any of these projects are of high interest. As planning documents are finalized and released, time is quickly running out for contracting firms to position themselves as the best private sector partner to deliver the project.
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