Contact:
Meghan Sovey
608-266-9600
meghan.sovey1@wisconsin.gov
MADISON – The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC or Commission) more than $10 million under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Grid Resilience Program to improve resiliency of the electric grid.
“The Grid Resilience Program will help our state mitigate the devastating public safety and financial impacts caused by severe weather events,” said PSC Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq. “Security and technological investments in the electric grid improve energy reliability and bolster critical infrastructure.”
The state will use this grant funding to enhance the reliability of the electric grid by supporting measures to reduce the likelihood, consequences of, and impacts to the electric grid due to extreme weather, wildfire, and natural disasters. Examples of these measures include hardening of power lines, facilities, substations, and other systems; construction of microgrids and battery storage sites; and replacement of aging equipment. Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes are also eligible to receive a total of $2.6 million for the Grid Resilience Program.
Following the program design phase, which will include an open comment period to help inform Commission decisions on program scope and priorities, the PSC’s Office of Energy Innovation (OEI) anticipates releasing one or more competitive grant program cycles to solicit projects from eligible applicants. Eligible entities include electric grid operators, electricity storage operators, electricity generators, transmission owners or operators, distribution providers, and fuel suppliers.
OEI will host a webinar at the beginning of each grant cycle to help potential applicants understand the funding opportunity and grant requirements. The Commission will make awards to eligible applicants based on the performance criteria identified in the program design phase.
More information can be found on the Federal Funding for Energy Programs page on the PSC website.
An online version of this release is available here.
