Grid Resiliency Formula Grant Program - Section 40101(d)
UPDATE: AEA's public comment period relating to the Grid Resiliency Formula Grant Program - Section 40101(d), as created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), will conclude on January 26, 2023.
About the Grid Resilience Program
The Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program, funded through Section 40101(d) Formula Grants to States & Indian Tribes of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), will be administered through the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), as designated by Governor Mike Dunleavy. The national program provides $2.5 billion in formula grants to States and Indian Tribes to improve the resiliency of the electric grid infrastructure against disruptive events. AEA’s administration of the Program solely pertains to those Federal allocations to the State of Alaska over the Program’s five-year funding period; Alaska’s Tribal entities have been allocated their funding. Alaska has been allocated $12.1 in formula grant funds, for the first year of funding, with the second-year allocation yet to be determined by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). AEA’s application to be submitted by March 31, 2023, will cover those allocations for the first two funding years, or approximately $22.2 million. It is estimated that Alaska will receive approximately $60 million over the five-year Program period. It is AEA’s plan to issue grant funds via a competitive, sub-award process.
Eligible entities that may apply for sub-awards under this Program include electric grid operators, electricity storage operators, electricity generators, and transmission owners or operators holding a Certificate of Public Necessity and Convenience, as issued by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.
Eligible activities to improve the resiliency of the electric grid infrastructure against disruptive events may include, but are not limited to: relocating or reconductoring powerlines; improvements to make the grid resistant to extreme weather; increasing fire-resistant components; implementing monitoring, controls, and advanced modeling for real-time situational awareness; and integrating distributed energy resources like microgrids and energy storage. DOE guidance explicitly prohibits the construction of (1a) a new electric generating facility or (1b) a large-scale battery-storage facility that is not used for enhancing system adaptive capacity during disruptive events, or (2) cybersecurity. The period of performance for these sub-award grants is set at five (5) years with a potential single extension, at DOE’s discretion, of an additional 5 years, or less depending on the amount of time necessary to complete all efforts at the stated sub-award.
AEA Invites Continued Public Input on its application to the Grid Resilience Program
In its efforts to encourage public participation throughout the application process, AEA has hosted three public meetings to solicit any comments and/or questions relating to AEA’s application to U.S. DOE’s Section 40101(d) Formula Grants to States, as Federally funded via the IIJA. Recordings of these meetings are available by accessing the links provided below:
Public Meeting #1: September 7, 2022
▪ Meeting Recording
• Meeting Summary
▪ Public Notice
Public Meeting #2: September 13, 2022
▪ Meeting Recording
• Meeting Summary
▪ Public Notice
Public Meeting #3: December 13, 2022, 1-2 p.m.
▪ Meeting Recording (passcode = PjBYw4.n)
▪ Meeting Summary
▪ Public Notice
Public Meeting #4: January 12, 2023, 10:30-11:30 a.m
▪ No attendees present in-person or online
▪ AEA 40101(d) Presentation
▪ Public Notice
Materials
▪ Draft Program Narrative
▪ Program Overview
▪ Current DOE-FOA (amended version 4)
▪ United States Department of Energy 40101(d) Formula Allocation
End of Public Comment Period
Thursday, January 26, 2023
For additional information or to provide comments, please email:
▪ Bryan Carey, PE, Director of Owned Assets, bcarey@akenergyauthority.org
▪ Conner Erickson, Manager of Planning cerickson@akenergyauthority.org