The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $473.6 million in FY 2024 Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants, awarded to 49 states, five territories, 254 Tribal Nations, and the District of Columbia in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda. These grants will enhance the DOE power infrastructure to better withstand US weather challenges.
This funding, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and overseen by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, aims to upgrade and strengthen the power grid in response to challenges driven by climate change, such as wildfires and extreme weather events.
This initiative aligns with the Administration’s objective to ensure that communities have access to clean, reliable, affordable power.
Jennifer M. Granholm, the US Secretary of Energy said, “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.”
She added, “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.”
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Since FY 2022, DOE has allocated $1.3 billion for Grid Resilience Grants, aiming for $2.3 billion over five years.
The formula distributes the funds by considering factors such as land area, probability of disruptive events, and local historical mitigation expenditures.
State, tribal, and territorial governments will grant these funds to organizations implementing projects to improve power reliability, prioritizing initiatives that benefit communities.
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Recent infrastructure upgrades aim to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the electrical grid across several regions.
In Oklahoma, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation used $1.7 million in funding to install underground electrical lines, improving resilience against severe weather.
Colorado received a $700,000 grant to set up a 5 MW/20 MWh lithium-ion battery system in Estes Park, creating a microgrid for essential facilities.
Kansas invested nearly $5 million in upgrading outdated power lines and integrated drone monitoring in partnership with Pioneer Electric Company.
Additionally, Michigan allocated nearly $500,000 for the Kiva Line Rebuild Project, strengthening distribution lines in storm-prone areas while managing vegetation.
The DOE highlighted the Justice40 Initiative, which ensures that 40% of federal climate and clean energy investments benefit marginalized communities.
In alignment with this goal, DOE will announce the FY 2025 Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant distributions in the second quarter of 2025.