The US Department of Energy (DoE) on Wednesday announced up to USD 3.46 billion (EUR 3.28bn) in funding for 58 projects across 44 states to make the US power grid more resilient and reliable.
According to the announcement, the projects representing more than USD 8 billion of federal and private investments, will support the addition of more than 35 GW of new renewable energy and investment in 400 microgrids.
“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability and affordability – all while generating union jobs for highly skilled workers,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
The funding is the first round of awards under the USD-10.5-billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Programme, which is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The projects selected for award negotiations can be found on DoE’s website.
In Oregon, for instance, projects across the state will connect Portland General Electric (PGE) customers with renewable resources east of the Cascade Mountains, including those on the Warm Springs Reservation — creating a link to up to 1,800 MW of solar resources.
(USD 1 = EUR 0.947)