The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded roughly $40.2 million to Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington state's largest regulated electric and natural gas utility company, to support massive improvements toward grid reliability.

This federal grant will support PSE’s Project PULSE (Puget Upgrades for Line Capacity, System Flexibility, and Energy Resilience) under DOE’s   SPARK program, which has slated 31 projects nationwide to scale grid infrastructure efforts as part of a $5.25 billion investment. PSE is matching the $40.2 million federal grant, bringing its total investment in regional grid modernization to approximately $80.4 million.

According to a company release, Project PULSE aims to boost capacity, reliability, and grid resilience across Western Washington through advanced reconductoring and enabling grid-monitoring software. PSE estimates that $21 million of the total $80.4 million investment will go toward reconductoring and upgrade work, specifically in Kitsap County.

PSE noted that the federal boost will help fast-track these capabilities to strengthen and modernize the region's electric transmission system amid growing energy demand.

"This project will help us deliver more reliable power while moving more electricity across the transmission lines we already have” said Mary Kipp, president and CEO of Puget Sound Energy, in a statement. “We’re adding more capacity and flexibility to the grid while avoiding costly infrastructure upgrades."

Over a proposed multi-year period from 2027 through 2031, Project PULSE will upgrade four existing 115-kV transmission line segments approximately 23 miles in King and Kitsap counties. The project will also deploy 178 Dynamic Line Rating sensors across 323 miles of transmission lines in Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce, Kittitas and Thurston counties.

Project PULSE aims to address portions of the transmission system currently experiencing capacity constraints. The electric system currently serves more than 153,000 customers.

By upgrading existing infrastructure rather than constructing new transmission facilities, PSE notes it can ultimately defer higher investment costs into the future as electricity demand continues to rise across the Puget Sound region.