DOE awards $77M to states, Tribes for grid resilience
Seven states, three tribal nations and the District of Columbia were selected to receive more than $77 million in Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced.
The grants, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help modernize the electric grid to reduce impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters.
“As climate change threats intensify and we add more renewable energy to our power system, it is critical that the American people have a safe and resilient electric grid,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Department is announcing a stream of investments to assist States and tribes in modernizing the nation’s transmission system and preparing the U.S. for its clean energy future.”
The States and tribes awarded funding for fiscal years (FY) 22 and 23 include:
• The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana ($711,000) to develop distributed energy resources;
• The District of Columbia ($3 million) to deploy battery energy storage systems, microgrids, and other grid solutions;
• Hawaii ($6.1 million) for projects that benefit disadvantaged communities;
• Idaho ($9.3 million) for investments to demonstrate measurable improvements to grid resilience;
• Indiana ($9.2 million) to improve the resilience of Indiana’s electric grid against natural disasters;
• Iowa ($11.8 million) to undertake preventive actions to strengthen the grid against severe weather;
• The Mohegan Tribe ($317,000) to ensure that critical community facilities and the operation of essential programs and services are protected from disruptive events and extreme weather;
• Nevada ($10.5 million) to ensure an equitable energy future for underserved and disadvantaged communities;
• Pennsylvania ($16.2 million) to protect urban and rural communities from the consequences of disruptive events on critical grid infrastructure;
• The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians ($266,000) to increase resilience to the devastating effects of wildfires and support electric production during regional power outages; and
• Wisconsin ($1.2 million) to harden Wisconsin’s electric grid.
“I am proud to have worked with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to—along with fixing our roads, repairing our bridges, and expanding access to high-speed internet—invest in a resilient energy grid,” U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said. “This investment will help Wisconsin communities modernize and strengthen our grid, creating local jobs, and be better prepared for the next extreme weather event.”
This is the second cohort to receive funding under the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants, administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office. Additional awards will be announced on a rolling basis in the coming weeks and months as applications are received.
Over the next five years, the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants will distribute a total of $2.3 billion to States, Territories, and federally recognized tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations.
