According to the Associated Press, the Biden administration on Wednesday announced $3.5 billion for 58 projects across the country to strengthen electric grid resilience as extreme weather events continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems.
It is the largest-ever federal investment in grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden electric systems and improve energy reliability and affordability. The federal spending, combined with money promised by private partners, could result in up to $8 billion in investments nationally to upgrade the grid.
Projects funded by the federal Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program will increase the flexibility, efficiency, and reliability of electric power systems, with a particular focus on spurring solar, wind, and other renewable energy. The projects also are aimed at fixing problems that may contribute to wildfires and other disasters and will improve reliability by deploying innovative approaches to electricity transmission, storage and distribution.
Projects to be funded include $249 million each for rural areas in Georgia and Louisiana and $250 million for a Native American tribe in Oregon.
The largest grant, $464 million, will go to improve five transmission projects across seven Midwestern states, from Iowa to North Dakota.
