In response to the growing number of extreme weather incidents, along with efforts to increase grid capacity to meet rising demand, the U.S. Department of Energy announced nearly $2 billion will be awarded to 38 projects in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

The projects chosen as part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program will deploy new, innovative transmission and distribution infrastructure and technology upgrades, enabling 7.5 gigawatts (GW) of grid capacity. Additional benefits include faster connections, the addition of almost 6,000 jobs and a gain of nearly $4.2 billion in public and private investment for clean energy.

These projects, which further the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda, will upgrade more than 950 miles of transmission, construct more than 300 miles of new transmission lines and add grid-enhancing technologies to more than 650 miles of transmission lines to increase the capacity of existing lines. 

The GRIP program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This latest award brings the total number of projects to 104, funded at $7.6 billion. Altogether, they will enable 55 GW of grid capacity and will upgrade 1,650 miles of transmission.

“We need our grid better adapted to storms like Hurricanes Helene and Milton—and other extreme climate disasters like the wildfires out west,” said White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “We need our grid better wired to accelerate America’s manufacturing renaissance and leadership in artificial intelligence. We need our grid better able to bring online cheaper, cleaner power. Today’s investment will do that. And today’s investment will lower energy costs and bolster grid resilience.” 

Some projects are expected to improve reliability and resistance, such as:

• Arizona: Arizona Public Service Co. will implement microgrids in vulnerable areas, preventing nearly 1 million customer interruptions and saving $113 million in emergency repair costs.
• Indiana and Illinois: Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative and Southern Illinois Power Cooperative will build new transmission feeds to provide backup connections by looping transmission to 10 substations in seven counties that are expected to see increased outages from extreme weather events. 

Several projects will expand grid capacity, increase speed and enable renewable energy, including:

• Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia: Through 84 subprojects in eight states, the Tennessee Valley Authority and partners will add over 2,400 megawatts (MW) of transmission grid capacity, reduce TVA’s solar interconnection queue and diminish localized outage durations by 94%.
• Massachusetts: Boston-based GridUnity will modernize the interconnection process for approximately 70% of the U.S. population to enhance energy reliability and lower costs. This will reduce the time needed to review, approve and commission new generation interconnections, generation projects and grid developments. 

Several grid solutions are commercially available now that enhance grid capacity, such as: 

• Connecticut: Elevate Renewables will integrate a 20-MW battery energy storage system at an existing fossil fuel peaking generating station in Milford, Conn., to create a carbon-neutral synchronous condensing solution, or “green sync.”