MADISON – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC or Commission) is now accepting applications for the third round of Wisconsin’s Refueling Readiness Grant Program. The program is designed to foster fueling infrastructure resilience and assist Fueling Points of Distribution or Designated Disaster Fueling Facilities to stay open in long-term power outages or declared emergencies. The Commission is expected to award up to $215,000 by December 2021. Applications are due on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, by 4:30 p.m.
“Investing in facilities that provide essential services to our first responders and utility line trucks during an emergency is critical to protecting public safety,” said PSC Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq.
The program is part of the PSC’s ongoing coordination of energy assurance planning and exercise activities with other key agencies such as Wisconsin Emergency Management; the Wisconsin National Guard; the Wisconsin Department of Transportation; the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, as well as Tribal and county emergency managers. Grants could be awarded to fund general electrical panels, labor of electricians, transfer switches, tap switches and other necessary accessories to maintain access to vehicle fuel during power outages.
Eligible facilities for funding include:
- Privately, municipally, and Tribally-owned convenience stores with both unleaded and diesel fuel availability;
- Municipally and Tribally-owned highway shops;
- Bulk Petroleum Storage Facilities: A privately owned facility used in the storage or marketing of petroleum products (including propane), which has a total bulk storage capacity of less than 50,000 barrels and receives product by rail, barge, or truck.
For more information on Wisconsin’s Refueling Readiness Grant Program, the PSC will host a webinar on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. Interested parties can register here. For instructions on applying for funding, visit the PSC’s Office of Energy Innovation website.
