U.S. DOE Grants $23 Million To Kit Carson Electric Cooperative to Increase Power Grid Resilience and Reliability In Northern New Mexico
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) with a grant worth $23 million ($15.4 million in federal funding and $7.7 million in recipient cost share) to help enhance the "Building a Modern, Intelligent Distributed BESS for Resiliency in Northern New Mexico" project to reduce the extreme weather impacts and strengthen grid reliability.
Under the grant, KCEC will deploy BESS and microgrid capabilities to Picuris Pueblo, Taos Ski Valley and El Rito West to perform public safety power shutoffs and maintain critical power loads and services locally. KCEC and Guzman Energy have joined hands for wholesale power and energy management services underlining resilient, local distributed power and storage.
“Extreme weather events fueled by climate change will continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems, but President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will ensure America’s power grid can provide reliable, affordable power,” said U.S Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability and affordability—all while generating union jobs for highly skilled workers.”
The grant is a part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program to enhance grid flexibility and improve the resilience of the power system against extreme weather and climate change.
The program is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office.
