US to invest $13 billion in grid

• 2 years ago (2022-11-22)
• David Flin

North America 1021 Transmission 191

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The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $13 billion financing to support the upgrade and expansion of the US electric grid. The government aims to develop projects to boost the reliability of the country’s power grids. DOE said that applications are now open for states, tribes, and utilities to receive funding, with the submission deadline for the first phase set for 1 February, 2023.

The funding will be offered under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as well as the Grid Resilience Innovative Partnership (GRIP) and the Transmission Facilitation Programme.

The move is part of President Biden’s goal of generating 100 per cent clean electricity by 2035 and aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and clean electricity for more communities and businesses.

Jennifer Granholm, US Energy Secretary, said: “We are moving swiftly to deliver cleaner, cheaper energy to every American community by building a modern and reliable electric grid. With nearly 70 per cent of the nation’s grid more than 25 years old, the President’s agenda is making historic investments that will strengthen the nation’s transmission grid to drive down energy costs, generate good-paying jobs, and help to keep the lights on during extreme weather events.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provide $10.5 billion across three programmes that make up the GRIP wider programme.

The GRIP programme scope covers grid resilience utility and industry grants for which $2.5 billion has been allocated. A further $3 billion of grants has been allocated for smart grids, while $5 billion has been allocated for a grid innovation programme.

The first round of the announced funding for GRIP is $3.8 billion for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.