The U.S. Department of Energy wants to know what the public thinks about the $2.5 billion Transmission Facilitation Program, created by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help build out critical new electrical transmission lines across the nation.
DOE issued a request for information May 10 about its new Transmission Facilitation Program, shaping up to be the largest legislated infrastructure investment every for electrical transmission, according to a DOE news release.
"Expanding and strengthening our power grid means we can get Americans power where and when they need it most, and in so doing deploy the clean energy we need to reach our climate goals and ultimately bring down energy costs," U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in the news release. "With nearly 70% of the nation’s grid more than 25 years old, the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a pivotal catalyst for transmission projects across the nation that will deliver good-paying jobs in the process."
This $2.5 billion investment is the first down payment on more than $20 billion for DOE's new Building a Better Grid Initiative, according to the release.
The program is "an innovative revolving fund program that will provide federal support to overcome the financial hurdles to large-scale new transmission lines and upgrade existing transmission as well as the connection of microgrids in select states and U.S. territories," the news release said.
"Expanding and modernizing the electric grid will create good-paying jobs to deliver clean, affordable and reliable energy to everyone, everywhere, anytime," the news release reported. "A reliable, resilient electric grid is critical for withstanding climate change impacts and to achieving President Biden’s goal of a national grid run on 100% clean electricity by 2035."
The nation's existing electrical grid was not developed with modern electrification needs in mind but expanding transmission capacity via new and upgraded transmission lines is expected to improve the grid reliability, while allowing for new clean power. The release reports it was estimated electricity transmissions will need to be expanded by 60% by 2030 to meet renewable generation and electrification needs.
