The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $473.6 million in grid resilience grants to 49 states, five territories, 254 Tribal Nations, and the District of Columbia.
The Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants aim to make the power grid more resilient against extreme weather events and ensure reliable power delivery.
“From remote and rural communities to urban centers, every pocket of America deserves a strong and reliable energy grid that can deploy clean, affordable power to homes and businesses”, said Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm. “The transformative investments in grid infrastructure from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is helping protect our main streets and downtowns during extreme weather events while creating good-paying jobs in the process”.
The latest round of funding brings the total DOE investment in grid resilience to nearly $1.3 billion since fiscal year 2022. The program, which aims to distribute $2.3 billion over five years, uses a formula that considers factors such as population, land area, and the likelihood and severity of extreme weather events. The formula also takes into account historical spending on mitigation efforts. This approach ensures that funding is distributed equitably and prioritizes regions most vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.
States and tribes will now begin the process of awarding these funds to eligible entities, focusing on projects that deliver the greatest community benefit while promoting clean, affordable, and reliable energy.
In Oklahoma, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation has been awarded $1.7 million to bury electrical lines. Colorado’s Platte River Power Authority is installing a 5MW/20MWh battery storage system in Estes Park, creating a microgrid that will support critical infrastructure during outages. In Kansas, the Kansas Corporation Commission is providing nearly $5 million to Pioneer Electric Co. to replace aging power lines, conduct proactive pole testing, and deploy a drone for faster damage assessment. In Michigan, the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is partnering with Alger Delta to rebuild over two miles of distribution line and implement vegetation management strategies.
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