DOE’s $5.8 M grant to FPUA to increase power grid resiliency

FPUA projects will help reduce impacts on the grid caused by unexpected outages, extreme weather, and natural disasters.

 


DOE’s $5.8 M grant to FPUA to increase power grid resiliency

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USA, Washington/Fort Pierce: FPUA projects will help reduce impacts on the grid caused by unexpected outages, extreme weather, and natural disasters.

Under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA) in Florida a grant worth $5.8 million to progress towards its initiative to storm-harden and modernize the Fort Pierce electric grid ensuring grid reliability and quality of service for customers.

The FPUA’s grant funded project include upgrading two substation transformers to accommodate growing electric demand; replacing four distribution transformers for modernization; upgrading a substation to ring bus configuration for modernization and automation, and installing 400 mounted reclosers to reduce outage frequency and duration.

“These projects empower FPUA to maintain reliable electric service while reducing impacts on the grid caused by unexpected outages, extreme weather, and natural disasters,” said Javier Cisneros, FPUA Director of Utilities. “This project also represents tremendous effort by our electric and grant writing teams to build more resilient and sustainable infrastructure for Fort Pierce with support from grant funding.”

“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability and affordability,” said U.S Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm. “Extreme weather events fueled by climate change will continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems, but President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will ensure America’s power grid can provide reliable, affordable power.”

Source: T&D World