The Department of Energy’s (DOE) announced an investment of $600 million in federal funding for California to upgrade 100 miles of transmission lines to improve the state’s grid reliability and deliver clean, affordable electricity faster. The funding comes through the $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program, which was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The GRIP grant was awarded to the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Independent System Operator, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and Southern California Edison. The agencies and utilities will partner on the California Harnessing Advanced Reliable Grid Enhancing Technologies or Transmission (CHARGE 2T) program, which will expand transmission capacity and provide interconnection improvements to increase and accelerate equitable access to clean energy across the state.
Specifically, the CHARGE 2T project will:
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Support more than 300 direct jobs.
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Enhance more than 100 miles of transmission lines with advanced conductor technologies that will help connect more clean energy resources than the existing grid can accommodate at this time.
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Deliver an estimated $200 million in energy savings from improved grid efficiency.
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Invest in workforce training programs for the next generation of energy and utility workers.
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Create economic and community benefits for disadvantaged communities.
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Develop a portal to improve transparency and efficiency in the interconnection process.