The Department of Energy is seeking comments on its plan to provide $10.5 billion over five years for projects that prevent power outages and improve grid resilience, enhance grid flexibility, and demonstrate new approaches to power sector infrastructure resilience and reliability.
The Grid Resilience and Innovative Partnership Program funding will be available to states, tribes, local governments, public utility commissions, grid operators, utilities and others, DOE said in a request for information issued Tuesday.
The planned funding includes $2.5 billion for grid resilience grants, $3 billion for smart grid grants and $5 billion for grid innovation efforts.
“The nation’s power system is aging and under increasing and evolving threat, yet historical investments have not been sufficient in magnitude or focus to address these threats to the grid,” DOE said in the RFI. “The energy transition is underway with the retirement of older assets, the deployment of newer assets with different generation profiles, and a shifting load profile that includes storage, electric vehicles, building electrification, and more.”
Responses are due Oct. 14. DOE aims to start the grant application process by the end of this year.
