The order was introduced in 2023 and sought to address the huge interconnection queue backlog of projects. Image: Flickr/Ryan McKnight used under CC by 2.0A US court has upheld a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) plan to speed up the permitting process for connecting energy projects to the grid. 2023 was challenged in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals by several grid operators and utilities. However, on Friday 31 July, the court upheld the order. Data shows that there was around 2,600GW of energy project capacity in US interconnection queues at the end of 2023.