The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that Puerto Rico will receive over $7.4 million through the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants to help the territory’s electric grid reduce impacts of weather and natural disasters and improve power sector reliability.
The grant, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, will improve Puerto Rican communities’ access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity while helping deliver on the President’s clean energy goals. The funds will help disadvantaged communities to determine their energy needs; provide resilient, cost-effective electricity to rural and/or remote communities; and create jobs and training opportunities for the communities in Puerto Rico.
Based on population size, land area, probability and severity of disruptive events and a locality’s expenditures on mitigation efforts, the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants will award $2.3 billion to states, territories, and federally recognized tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations over the next five years. The states, territories, and tribes will further grant these funds to projects that generate community benefit and provide clean, affordable, and reliable energy.
"Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, more funding is coming to Puerto Rico to help modernize its electric infrastructure and enhance energy resiliency all while creating good paying jobs in support of the Commonwealth’s goal of 100% renewable energy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
