NRECA applies for funding from infrastructure law to deploy smart grid technologies

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s research arm NRECA Research applied for funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to accelerate the deployment of next-generation smart grid technologies at 69 electric co-ops.

The co-ops, which serve 6.5 million consumers across 26 states, will use the funds to complete high-priority grid modernization projects and increase the reliability and resilience of their electric power systems. The grant funding has been made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“Electric cooperatives are hubs of innovation and are always exploring new ways to meet their consumers’ evolving energy needs,” NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said. “This is an important opportunity for co-ops to partner with DOE to accelerate the adoption of new technologies to improve the resilience and affordable operation of the nation’s electric grid.”

NRECA Research’s consortium enables smaller co-ops to work together and submit a competitive application for infrastructure funds.

The consortium is organized around five topics, including Electric vehicles; microgrids; cyber and physical security; natural hazards mitigation; and smart grids and data. The projects in the consortium application cover a variety of technologies, including advanced analytics, distribution automation, unmanned aerial systems and advanced metering infrastructure.

The national rural electric cooperative association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives.