The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 20 projects across 16 states selected to receive up to $371 million to accelerate the permitting of high-voltage, interstate transmission projects.
These projects, funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, will also support community infrastructure projects along major new and upgraded transmissions lines, including upgrading public school buildings and emergency response facilities.
Administered by DOE's Grid Deployment Office, the Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) grants will help advance at least 16 high-impact transmission lines across the country supporting the deployment of reliable and affordable energy for consumers and creating good-paying jobs.
“Today, every pocket of the country is experiencing the grueling impact of extreme weather and there’s no doubt that we must expand our transmission grid to get more clean, resilient power to more people, in more places,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a wide range of actions to expand and improve electric transmission systems, including streamlining federal permitting and deploying billions of dollars to strengthen grid infrastructure. To complement these unprecedented federal actions TSED will support permitting progress at the state and local level and ensure that communities hosting new and upgraded transmission infrastructure benefit directly.
The TSED selections will help uplift communities through economic development investments that generate benefits in communities impacted by transmission development, while also accelerating project reviews by siting authorities.
Selected projects include support for:
- Providing state and local siting agencies with the resources, tools, and capacity they need to complete timely review of transmission projects, which strengthens robust regional and interregional planning.
- Example: Illinois Commerce Commission ($8 million): The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) will launch a comprehensive new initiative to streamline and improve the transmission siting process for several Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 1 Projects in Illinois, which were planned with significant state input using MISO’s robust multi-factor regional transmission planning process. In addition to improving community engagement, the ICC will also digitize records and upgrade public-facing databases that house data on environmental and cultural resources along the two transmission lines under review.
- Upgrading critical infrastructure in communities impacted by transmission development.
- Example: Roosevelt Custer Regional Council ($710,000) will use grant funds to expand fire department facilities in a rural community in North Dakota to improve community resilience.
- Investing in community upgrades by developing community and tourism attractions, protecting cultural and heritage landmarks, and conserving lands identified by the community as highly valued.
- Example: Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources ($42.3 million) will be deploying a microgrid at a school in Barnstable, Massachusetts to reduce energy expenses, improve indoor air quality, and strengthen community resilience in emergency situations.
- Supporting localized workforce development and training in communities impacted by transmission development. Selected projects will support the creation of training, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and adult-education programs:
- Example: Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians ($5.6 million), located in California, will support community workforce development with education, training, and professional development in ocean and coastal policy and science.
