The DOE's Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has several initiatives which could help utilities upgrade their grid network. It has a mission to ensure resource adequacy by maintaining and investing in critical generation facilities and ensuring that all communities have access to reliable electricity by strengthening and modernizing the U.S. transmission and distribution system. GDO is also behind the “Building a Better Grid” program, which assists deployment of nationally significant transmission projects and grid upgrades that are essential to achieving the clean electricity and net zero-emission economy goals set by the government.
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The organization has three priorities for grid development:
1. Power Generation Assistance
This includes finance for existing nuclear power to ensure it can remain on the grid to provide useful amounts of baseload power, and both new and existing incentives to increase grid stability and reliability for hydropower.
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2. Transmission Development
The GDO’s main program prioritizes financial mechanisms for supporting new transmission, which includes enables utilities to build more transmission capacity. The Transmission Development Office conducts long-term planning for regional and inter-regional transmission systems needs to meet decarbonization goals.
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3. Grid Modernization
Among other tasks, the Grid Modernization Office awards grants to states, territories, and tribes for projects focused on resilience and reliability. These grants are funded via different streams established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), amounting to an earmark of almost $25 billion.
“We only see electricity load on the up, so we will have to make sure that our substations are upgraded appropriately, as well as all the other parts of the grid,” says, Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office.
There are four key grant programs available to utilities under these three mandates. This financial assistance will enable utilities to build important additions to the grid and transmission structures to facilitate a transition to net zero, while enhancing networks for consumers.