Department of Energy Awards $1.9 Billion in Grants for Grid Modernization Projects Across 26 States
The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $1.9 billion in federal grants to support 31 projects across 26 states aimed at modernizing the U.S. power grid. These projects are expected to add 23 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, enough to power 16 million homes, by reconductoring or rebuilding transmission lines and deploying Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) over nearly 21,000 miles. The initiative, known as Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK), was launched in March to address urgent grid upgrades. These grants are enabled by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in 2021. In addition to federal funding, the projects will receive $3.25 billion in recipient cost-share funding. Recipients range from small utilities to large entities like Duke Energy and the New York Power Authority.
