Electric Grids

A reliable, resilient, and secure electric grid is vital for national security, economic security, and the growing number of services that Americans rely upon every day. This complex machine spanning the continent is made up of millions of miles of transmission and distribution lines, transformers, sensors, software, communication systems, and other equipment that connect electric power generators to customers. As demand and expectations for electricity evolve, innovations are needed from end-to-end to meet growing challenges and threats, from extreme weather events and cyberattacks to load growth and aging infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading various programs and initiatives to modernize and transform the nation’s electric grid to meet present and future demands while ensuring reliability, resilience, security, and affordability. Investing in our nation’s infrastructure is essential to protecting the electric grid against growing threats of extreme weather, lowering costs for communities, and accelerating the deployment of transformative projects.

Pioneering Innovations to Advance a 21st Century Electric Grid

Americans depend on the safe and reliable delivery of electricity. The nation’s electric grid includes many systems, components and controls that must be in balance to deliver power reliably and to be a lifeline for Americans.   

DOE drives innovation to strengthen, improve, and transform our electricity delivery system to reliably power homes, industry, and communities. OE leverages its expertise to develop advanced grid systems and technologies that can meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges. 

As today’s electric grid modernizes to address changes in how we generate and use power—including integrating more renewable energy, electric vehicles and energy storage—DOE's role is even more vital. Our support of grid technology upgrades is even more important for the 21st Century grid. The electric grid we have known for more than 100 years is being challenged in new ways by cybersecurity incidents, increasing demand, newer generation resources, and weather events.  

DOE investments are helping add more energy to the electric grid faster, improve reliability and resilience, and deploy innovative technologies across the country. 

Whether it is funding new grid system components or microgrids, supporting new software to extend the life of existing transmission lines, or initiating research to analyze existing grid conditions, DOE is helping to transform our nation’s electric grid. 

  • Grid Systems
    OE supports grid system research to strengthen grid resilience, help mitigate grid disturbances through faster system response and recovery, and integrate renewable energy and distributed energy resources
    April 28, 2023
  • Power grid infographic
    • Distribution Grid/Distributed Energy Resources
    • Energy Demonstrations
    • Clean Energy
    • Electric Grids
    Demonstrating Data Analytics for Coordination
    To supply power to homes and businesses, electric utilities and system operators work around the clock to balance supply of electricity with demand.

Leveraging Laboratory Expertise and Capabilities for Grid Modernization

Pinkish sky at night with transmission towers with blue lights around the towers.

DOE leverages the expertise of researchers at our nation’s national laboratories to advance the electric grid of the future. These labs develop science and technology to further our nation's energy sector and conduct research that spurs greater innovation.   

 This includes the Grid Modernization Lab Consortium (link to Grid Modernization Lab Consortium | Department of Energy), which serves as a strategic partnership between DOE and the national laboratories to bring together leading experts, technologies, and resources to collaborate on the goal of modernizing the nation’s grid. In addition, partnership like the Power electronics Accelerator Coalition for Electrification (PACE) show the innovation that results from coalitions of research institutions, utilities, and industry manufacturers advancing the grid of the future. 

Videos About the Electric Grid

Electricity 101

This video provides an overview of how the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity supports innovations that help keep America's electric infrastructure reliable & resilient.

Advanced Grid Components for a Future-Ready Grid

This video shows how OE's grid components research supports innovation that will pave the way to a future-ready grid. These innovations help create a grid resilient enough to adapt to varying conditions, robust enough to withstand the effects of climate change, and secure enough to mitigate physical and cyber-attacks.

Featured Grid Talk Podcasts

Press Releases

From Our Blogs

Supporting Offices