DOE invests billions in advanced grid technologies
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The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $1.9 billion to 31 projects across 26 states to upgrade the nation’s power grid.
The funding, from the SPARK grant program established through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, will support the deployment of advanced transmission technologies. Utilities participating in these projects will contribute an additional $3.35 billion, for a total investment of $5.25 billion.
These projects will focus on technologies like advanced conductors, improved power cables that carry more electricity, and dynamic line rating, which assesses and optimizes the capacity of existing power lines. The Department of Energy hopes these upgrades will increase grid capacity and reliability without requiring the construction of entirely new infrastructure. The DOE funding addresses slow adoption of these technologies, which have been proven in pilot programs but haven’t seen widespread use.
Utilities have been hesitant to invest in new technologies and lack incentives to choose alternatives to traditional grid investments. Federal funding helps offset costs for customers and resolves disputes over how to share the expense of projects that benefit multiple utilities and regions, including large projects meant to connect the Eastern and Western U.S. grids.
