On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected 8 projects across 18 states to receive up to $2.2 billion in investment through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program. The GRIP program, administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The projects were selected through the Grid Innovation Program (40103b), a component of the GRIP program designated for activities expected to demonstrate innovative approaches to transmission, storage, and distribution infrastructure.
The projects awarded in this second round of the GRIP Program aim to harden and enhance resilience and reliability and demonstrate new approaches to enhance regional grid resilience. Collectively, the awardees are anticipated to add approximately 13 gigawatts (GW) of grid capacity, generate 4,800 megawatts (MW) of new offshore wind, and create 5,000 jobs.
As lead applicants, the California Energy Commission, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality State Energy Office, Utah Office of Energy Development, and the Virginia Department of Energy were all selected for awards:
- With the 40103b funding, the California Energy Commission will engage in a public-private partnership set to apply advanced conductor technologies to over 100 miles of transmission lines. The project, California Harnessing Advanced Reliable Grid Enhancing Technologies for Transmission (CHARGE 2T), is also anticipated to deploy dynamic line ratings to accelerate access to renewable energy across the state.
- The New England states, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources being the lead applicant, were selected for a Grid Innovation Grant to pursue the Power Up New England project, bringing together the region to deploy grid-benefitting technologies, such as points of interconnection for offshore wind and a multi-day energy storage system throughout the Northeast.
- The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality State Energy Office was selected for funding to work alongside Duke Energy on the North Carolina Innovative Transmission Rebuild project, which aims to implement advanced transmission technology across the state.
- Funding for the Reliable Electric Lines: Infrastructure Expansion Framework (Project RELIEF) will enable the Utah Office of Energy Development, the lead applicant, to work in partnership with Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho, and Arizona to install advanced grid solutions along existing transmission infrastructure, significantly improving reliability for 700,000 consumers across 5 states. NASEO is a partner on this project.
- The Virginia Department of Energy will expand grid reliability and energy innovation by deploying a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Iron Mountain Data Center in Prince William County, improving resilience for the center and helping to offset local demand. Additionally, Virginia will oversee the deployment of a microgrid that includes wind, solar, and BESS technologies at the Grace Complex in South Carolina.
For more information on the awardees of this round of funding, click here. Another round of funding for the GRIP Program’s Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants and Smart Grid Grants will be made available later this year.