The US Department of Energy has announced the second round of Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) programme funding.
The $2.2bn in funding will support eight transmission and innovative technology projects across 18 states.
The North Plains Connector Interregional Innovation Consortium is one of the projects that has secured a grant from GRIP, for $700m, to support the development of North Plains Connector.
North Plains Connector is an approximately 415 mile and up to 525 kilovolt high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting the US eastern and western electric grids in Montana and North Dakota.
North Plains Connector will be open to all sources of electrical power generation, including renewable generation, and will be able to transport power in either direction along the line.
New York Power Authority secured $30m for its Transforming the Empire State: Clean Path New York project.
Ray Long, President and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), said: “We are very pleased to see the Department of Energy making critical investments in America’s transmission system that will benefit our national economy and help ensure a clean, reliable electric grid.
“The Grid Innovation Program grants issued by the Grid Deployment Office will create over 5,000 high-paying jobs and add approximately 1,000 miles of much-needed transmission to the grid, enabling more low-cost clean energy to power America’s homes and businesses.
“This latest round of federal funding also recognizes the importance of utilizing innovative technologies-such as HVDC, high-performance conductors, and grid-enhancing technologies-to expedite grid upgrades and cost-effectively address transmission constraints.
“We congratulate the ACORE members included in this round of awards and commend the Administration for investing in projects that benefit underserved communities, keep electricity costs from rising, and improve the reliability of our grid.”