The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a $23.4 million Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant to Washington to modernize the electric grid and reduce impacts due to extreme weather and natural disasters.
“Electricity is an essential lifeline for communities. Improving our systems by reducing disruptive events is key as we cross the finish line of a 100% clean electricity grid and ensure equitable benefits from the clean energy economy reach every community,” said Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee.
The fund will not only help work directly with rural and typical end-of-the-line customers to develop resilience plans but also collaborate with communities and utilities to build a resilient and renewable infrastructure for essential services.
“This is a significant opportunity to supplement our state investments in building a robust, resilient electric grid that supports our long-term vision for clean, affordable and reliable electricity – the foundation for economic growth and job creation that strengthens our communities and keeps Washington globally competitive,” said Washington State Department of Commerce Director, Mike Fong.
The grant aims to reduce the frequency, duration and impact of outages while enhancing resiliency in historically disadvantaged communities; strengthen prosperity by expanding well-paying, safe clean energy jobs accessible to all workers and ensure investments have a positive effect on quality job creation and equitable economic development and build a community of practice and maximize project scalability by identifying pathways for scaling innovations.
“The Grid Resilience Formula Grants will enable communities in Washington to protect households and businesses from blackouts or power shutdowns during extreme weather,” said Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy. “Projects selected through this program will benefit communities by creating good-paying jobs to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy across the country.”
