In the two years since its creation, GDO has announced $14.5 billion in competitive funding selections and formula grants to advance a more affordable, reliable, and resilient grid.
December 19, 2024
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Director's Note
As we close out the year and move forward in shaping the future of our nation’s power grid, I'd like to highlight the profound impact our work at the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has had this year. Just over two years ago, we launched this office with the mission of catalyzing the development of new and upgraded electric infrastructure and generation across the country. As you’ll see in this year-end snapshot, we not only hit the ground running in 2022 but have kept up a blistering pace since, all grounded in a commitment to reliably power homes and businesses while maintaining affordability.
Fueled by historic investments into projects across the country, every step we take to strengthen our infrastructure, lower power costs, and expand access to reliable electricity is a step towards creating a brighter future for everyone. Investments in the power grid are the backbone of our nation’s economy. By upgrading, modernizing, and expanding the grid, we are enhancing America’s resilience in the face of extreme weather and rising demand for electricity. In boosting generation, developing and upgrading transmission and distribution poles and lines, and deploying new software, tools, and power sector practices, the economic opportunities for communities – and good-paying jobs for individuals – are endless.
Equally important is our focus on collaboration with states, local governments, tribes, utilities, and industry partners to deploy solutions that are both effective and essential. Only by working with a robust set of partners can we develop and deliver programs that truly make a difference, such as dramatically reducing the time it takes to permit new transmission development or significantly reducing the frequency and duration of power outages.
It’s not enough to simply meet today’s needs — we have to look ahead. We must build a future where every household, every business, and every community can access the power they need. I am deeply proud of the progress GDO made over the last two and a half years while I served as its first Director. While there is more work ahead to reach our goals, I know our strength comes from our many partners across the country, and I am confident you will continue to work hard every day to provide a more reliable and affordable grid. Serving in this role was an honor of a lifetime, and I look forward to what this talented organization continues to do in the coming years.
Together, we are building more than just a power grid… we are strengthening the foundation of our nation that powers your devices and homes, empowers communities and businesses, and lights the way for generations to come.
Maria Robinson - Grid Deployment Office Director, U.S. Department of Energy
Supercharged GDO Accomplishments
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To date, the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has announced $14.5 billion in competitive funding selections and formula grants to advance a more affordable, reliable, and resilient grid.
Competitive Funding Selections and Grants To Date: $14.5 Billion
Selections: 1,121
Total Programs: 20
Funding Solicitations Announced This Year: 10
Milestones:
- Total Public, Private and Non-Federal investments: $36.9+ Billion
- Homes and businesses who will benefit from increased grid resilience, reliability, and affordability: 90 million
- New and upgraded transmission lines by 2031 (more than 11x the number of miles developed in 2021): 4,375+ Miles
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GDO has invested in communities to grow the economy, expand access to reliable energy, lower consumer energy bills, and create good-paying jobs.
Community Benefits and Impact:
- Receiving federal support to launch grid resilience upgrades:
50 states, 264 Tribes, 5 territories, and the District of Columbia - Invested directly in communities via jobs, scholarships and apprentice programs, and grants to community organizations: $500+ million
- Reducing power outage frequency and duration in communities across the country: 50% to 94%
- Receiving federal support to launch grid resilience upgrades:
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GDO is helping add more energy to the grid faster, improve reliability and resilience, and invest in innovative technologies.
- Grid capacity and new energy resources that will be added to the grid via GDO projects: 67 potential gigawatts equivalent to powering 50 million homes each year
- Federal transmission permitting times: 2 years (cut in half)
- If the 2024 Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits final rule was in place from 2010 through 2020, it would have saved approximately 66 years in federal permitting time.
- Publications and Reports Announced: 86
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GDO’s collaboration, business and community engagement, and many other powerful connections go into modernizing and maintaining our nation’s power grid for present and future generations.
- Public Engagements: 100+
- Workshops & Webinars: 25+
- LinkedIn Community: 9,518
- Facebook Community: 285
- Videos: 7+
Want to learn more about what we've accomplished this year? Check out our accomplishments and the U.S. Department Of Energy’s 2024 top accomplishments for more information. Stay plugged in with us as we continue to share the powerful work happening across the Grid Deployment Office by subscribing to our blogs and connecting with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.