What does this funding get me?
This grant program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2021 is split between $2.3 billion in formula grants for States and Tribes, also known as the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant Program and $10.5 billion in matching grants for utilities and industry, known as the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program and comprised of the Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants ($2.5 billion), the Smart Grid Grants ($3 billion), and the Grid Innovation Program ($5 billion). The grants can be used for such projects as:
- Weatherization technologies and equipment
- Fire-resistant technologies and fire prevention systems
- Monitoring and control technologies
- Undergrounding of electrical equipment
- Utility pole management
- Relocation of power lines or the reconductoring of power lines with low-sag, advanced conductors
- Vegetation and fuel load management
- Use or construction of distributed energy resources for enhancing system adaptive capacity during disruptive events, including microgrids and battery storage subcomponents
- Adaptive protection technologies
- Advanced modeling technologies
- Hardening of power lines, facilities, substations, or other systems
- Replacement of old overhead conductors and underground cables
Visit the DOE program pages linked above for help determining which grant is most relevant to your project.
Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton
On October 13, 2024, President Biden announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing more than $600 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster grid resilience and reliability in the face of extreme weather and increased electricity demand across the states affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The funding will help harden the electric grid across the Southeastern U.S.; install advanced conductors and controls to help local power companies better face increasing extreme weather; deploy self-healing devices and enable more efficient and precise dispatching of field teams during outages; upgrade lines to meet critical capacity and flexibility for projected load growth and renewable integration; and build, rebuild, or reconductor transmission infrastructure. This investment will help reduce the likelihood of outages, speed up restoration times, and increase grid operational resilience for millions of customers in communities most susceptible to prolonged outages in one of the highest storm-risk regions of the country. Read more about projects receiving funding within communities affected by Hurricane Helene here.
Am I eligible?
Utilities, electric grid operators, electricity storage operators, electricity generators, transmission owners and operators, distribution providers, fuel suppliers, state and local governments, Tribal governments, and nonprofits are eligible for the Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants. (Check the DOE web page to see who is eligible for which of the three grant types.) Tribes and states are eligible for the formula grants.
How can I access the money?
North Carolina DEQ accepted proposals to their RFP process until January 29th, 2024. Stay tuned for awardees.
As of October 18, 2024, the DOE announced approximately $4.2 billion in federal investments for 46 projects in 47 states, plus the District of Columbia. Nine of these projects have jurisdiction in North Carolina.
In South Carolina, Santee Cooper holds a competitive selection process to identify grid resilience projects for funding. During 2022-2023, seventeen projects from electric cooperatives, municipal and other utilities around the state were approved by the DOE and supported with South Carolina’s initial $10.4 million. For 2024, DOE approved an additional $5.5 million, plus an additional 15% from Santee Cooper to continue grid resilience projects in South Carolina.
What is the timeline?
Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants – The deadlines have passed. On October 25, 2024, GDO announced that 49 states, 5 territories, 254 Tribal Nations, and the District of Columbia have received a combined total of $473.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024 Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants. See the full list of awards.
Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants – The deadlines for FY 2023-2025 funding have passed. Stay tuned for future funding rounds.
What other incentives could I use to help me accomplish my goals?
Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) for additional incentives that may be offered by your state, local government, or utility, as well as important federal, state, and local policies. For questions regarding DSIRE, contact Justin Lindemann (NC Clean Energy Technology Center) at jplindem@ncsu.edu.
Where can I get more information?
- DOE’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant Program web page
- DOE’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) web page
- List of previous GRIP awardees
- DOE’s Grid Deployment Office website
- In addition to the resources listed above, a variety of organizations offer technical assistance that may help you access these funds. They are listed on our Get Help page.
- For specific questions about this program or for more assistance, contact Sally Robertson at info@energyfundsforall.org.