Read the February 2024 issue of the Grid Deployment Office Newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy.
February 15, 2024
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Recent Announcements
President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Funds the Largest Single Investment in the Nation’s Waterpower Production, 46 Projects Across 19 States Funded to Increase Access to Affordable, Clean Electricity.
In support of the President Biden’s Investing in America agenda on February 2, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of 46 hydroelectric projects across 19 states to receive up to $71.5 million in incentive payments to increase the generation efficiency of the Nation’s existing hydropower fleet. The selected projects can be found in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
The PR100 Study Outlines Viable Pathways to Securing a Renewable, Resilient and Reliable Grid; To Maximize Impact DOE Sets Launch Date for Low-income Households to Apply for Subsidized Residential Solar and Battery Systems.
DOE and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a summary report on February 7, 2024, for the Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transitions to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100). The two-year study concludes that Puerto Rico can successfully meet its projected electricity needs with 100% renewable energy by 2050. PR100 outlines pathways to achieving clean energy success, including grid stabilization measures and the deployment of distributed energy resources.
To further assist Puerto Rico's energy resilience and clean energy goals, DOE announced that on February 22, 2024, residents can apply for DOE’s Programa Acceso Solar (Solar Access Program)—a program designed to connect up to 30,000 low-income households with residential rooftop solar and battery storage systems with zero upfront costs. This program is the consumer-facing application phase of the first round of funding from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund, a $1 billion DOE program focused on improving the resilience of Puerto Rico’s electric grid with an emphasis on the region’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged households and communities. The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to helping states and territories reach their clean power targets to move the nation closer to achieving President Biden’s 2050 goal of a net-zero carbon economy.
DOE Supports the Continued Operations of Safe and Reliable Nuclear Energy Facilities, Preserving Thousands of Good-paying Clean Energy Jobs While Avoiding Carbon Emissions.
On January 17, 2024, DOE announced the signing of the credit award and payment agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to finalize terms for $1.1 billion in credit payments via the Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, located near Avila Beach, California.
Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and administered by GDO, the $6 billion CNC program supports the continued operations of safe and reliable nuclear energy facilities, preserving thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs while avoiding an increase in carbon emissions. As the nation’s largest source of carbon-free power, America’s current fleet of nuclear reactors is a vital resource for achieving the President’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
Allocation Request and Applications Now Being Accepted For Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Fiscal Year 2024 Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants.
On January 18, 2024, DOE released the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD) to open the allocation request and application period for FY24 grant funding. Supported by the BIL and administered by GDO, these grants help modernize the electric grid to reduce the impacts of climate-driven extreme weather and natural disasters while also ensuring the reliability of the power sector.
As of January 2024, DOE has awarded a total of more than $772 million in FY22/23 grants to 52 participating states and territories and 103 tribal entities, to boost clean electricity, decrease energy costs, and keep the lights on for millions of Americans across the country. Now, an additional $562 million in funding is available through FY24 grants. Applicants have until April 17, 2024, to request FY24 grant funds.
News and Updates
Secretary Granholm Visits Puerto Rico
On February 7 and 8, 2024, Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm visited Puerto Rico to announce the results of the Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transitions to 100% Renewable Energy Study (PR100). She also announced the launch of DOE’s new Programa Acceso Solar, an initiative to connect 30,000 low-income families with residential solar and battery storage systems. This program is the consumer-facing application phase of the first round of funding from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund, a $1 billion DOE program focused on improving the resilience of Puerto Rico’s electric grid with an emphasis on the region’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged households and communities. As part of this launch, she met with households in San Juan and Jayuya that could benefit from the program.
On January 17, 2024, GDO and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) hosted the West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Convening Series kickoff meeting.
Throughout 2024, GDO and BOEM will host a series of Convening Workshops with subject matter experts and decision makers, including Tribal Nations, state governments, and regional transmission operators to gather input about West Coast offshore wind transmission planning needs and challenges.
Following the Convening Series, DOE and BOEM will develop a set of recommendations that outline immediate actions needed to connect the first generation of West Coast offshore wind projects onto the electric grid, and longer-term efforts to support needed transmission over the next several decades. These recommendations will be published as a region-specific addendum to the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Action Plan. The kickoff webinar on January 17, 2024, previewed the goals and plan for the upcoming Convening Series.
Image source: Joshua Bauer, NREL
Fellows Will Gain Career Experience with Critical Regional, State, Utility, and Tribal Energy Organizations that are Decarbonizing the Electricity Sector and Enhancing Grid Resilience.
On February 1, 2024, DOE launched the third round of the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship, a unique workforce development program that matches recent graduates and energy professionals to key energy organizations that support efforts to advance clean energy solutions. Through this program, host institutions receive support to help them accelerate the transition to clean electricity and better take advantage of federal grid resilience and modernization funding opportunities, while also increasing access to clean-energy career opportunities across the United States.
Eligible Host Institutions include state public utility commissions, grid operators, and cooperative and municipal utilities, as well as Tribal Utilities, Inter-Tribal Councils or other Tribal organizations, and essential energy organizations in Puerto Rico. New this year, State Energy Offices are now considered priority Host Institutions.
Host Institution applications are due on March 5, 2024.
The initial window for public submission for information and recommendations on National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor Designation Process closed on February 2, 2024. The public will also have an opportunity to submit information in response to DOE’s preliminary list of potential NIETC designations, which it expects to release in Spring 2024. Learn more about the NIETC designation process by watching the January 3, 2023, webinar recording.
Administered by GDO, the Tribal Nation Offshore Wind Transmission Technical Assistance Program was developed to support the engagement of Tribal Nations in activities related to the planning and development of U.S. offshore wind transmission. This technical assistance program was created in direct response to Tribal input. It offers capacity building through educational resources, training, and on-call assistance from technical experts and researchers at the DOE’s national labs.
Understanding the fundamentals of offshore wind energy planning and development is key for Tribes to participate in related activities. Tribal members are encouraged to attend educational events and webinars, and webinar slides and recordings, virtual trainings, and GDO presentations at national tribal forums will be made available.
Image source: Charlie Chesvick via Getty Images
Nicholas Palso is a Senior Project Manager on GDO’s Hydroelectric Incentives Program team born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He oversees the Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives, which are investing $75 million to enable implementation of capital improvements to hydropower facilities across the country to improve efficiency. The incentives are funded via the BIL to help maintain and enhance existing hydroelectric facilities to ensure generators continue to provide clean electricity, while improving dam safety and reducing environmental impacts.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a Master of Public Administration from Villanova University, and Doctorate in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management from Penn State. He joined GDO in October 2022 after over 14 years at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where he worked in hydropower licensing.
When not working, Nicholas enjoys camping, kayaking, hiking, splitting firewood, marmots, long road trips to the edges of civilization, and watching trains. He once walked back and forth across Death Valley because it seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn’t.
Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Building a Better Grid Initiative.
On January 12, 2022, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Building a Better Grid Initiative to catalyze the nationwide development of new and upgraded transmission lines and support investments to expand and modernize the transmission system to create a more resilient and flexible electric grid. The initiative, enabled by President Biden’s BIL and Inflation Reduction Action (IRA), brings together state and Federal government agencies, industry, academia, communities, and tribal entities to identify national transmission needs and support the buildout of transmission systems.
Two years into this initiative, GDO is leveraging historic investments through a multi-faceted approach—using many tools in the toolbox—to improve and expand national transmission infrastructure. Check out a new blog to see what that looks like.
Open Opportunities
| OPPORTUNITY | TYPE | RESPONSE DUE |
| Grid Resilience Technical Assistance Consortium FOA | Funding opportunity | APPLICATIONS: 2/15/2024 |
| CEIF host applications | Fellowship program | APPLICATIONS: 3/5/2024 |
| Transmission Facilitation Program capacity contracts RFP | Request for proposal | PROPOSALS: 3/11/2024 |
| Formula Grant FY24 ALRD | Funding opportunity | APPLICATIONS: 4/17/2024 |
Upcoming Events
| DATE | TIME | MEETING |
| 2/21/2024 | 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET | Transmission Facilitation Program Capacity Contracts RFP Round 2 Informational Webinar |
| 2/26 – 2/28 | 2024 Tribal Clean Energy Summit | |
| 3/12 | 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET | March 12 Grid Resilience Formula Grants Tribal Office Hours |
Recent Meeting Materials
| DATE | MEETING | MATERIALS |
| 1/3/2024 | NIETC Designation Process Final Guidance Informational Webinar | |
1/18/2024 | Application Guidance Videos for the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants Programs Page | Resources: Videos available: |
| 2/7/2024 | Puerto Rico Grid Resilience and Transition to 100% Renewable Energy (PR100) Study Final Results Event | Coming soon |