Overview
- Assistant Inspector General Sarah B. Nelson told lawmakers the audit will assess whether the cancellations complied with established criteria, laws and Department of Energy policies.
- The department in October terminated 321 awards spanning 223 projects after concluding they were not economically viable and did not advance national energy needs.
- California saw 79 cancellations totaling about $2.1 billion, including $1.2 billion expected for the ARCHES hydrogen hub.
- The cuts aligned with a list posted by White House budget director Russell Vought naming 16 affected states, all of which supported Harris in 2024.
- Democratic lawmakers requested the probe and warned of risks to grid upgrades and jobs, while the department did not immediately comment on the audit.