Maryland on Tuesday launched a $15 million electric resilience competitive grant program that officials say is “essential to reducing power outages and keeping the state moving toward its clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
The Resilient Infrastructure for Sustainable Energy, or Maryland RISE program, is accepting applications from the state’s utilities, bulk power system operators and related power-industry stakeholders. About $13 million of the available funds will be provided through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Awards are subject to funding availability, the state said.
“Our grid is battered and getting worse,” Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul Pinsky said in a statement. “In the face of rising demand for electricity and the more frequent and severe storms triggered by climate change, we absolutely must have a reliable electric grid.”
Eligible grant activities include weatherization efforts, fire-resistant technologies and fire prevention systems, monitoring and control technologies, undergrounding electrical equipment, utility pole management, the relocation or reconductoring of power lines, vegetation and fuel-load management and non-generation distributed energy resources, including microgrids and battery storage subcomponents.
The funds cannot be used for cybersecurity measures, new generation facilities or construction of a large-scale battery-storage facility not used for enhancing system adaptive capacity during disruptive events.
Applications are due to the Maryland Energy Administration by Jan. 21, with funds offered in two tranches: to applicants selling more or less than 4 million MWh annually to customers in the state.
Maryland has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state 60% below 2006 levels by 2031 and achieve a 100% clean electric grid by 2035.
