New England States Seek Federal
Funding for Significant Investments in Transmission and Energy Storage
Infrastructure
Two applications
demonstrate continued regional and interregional collaboration on
electricity infrastructure to bolster grid reliability and resilience
BOSTON – A coalition of New
England states jointly submitted two applications to secure federal funding to
support investments in large-scale transmission and energy storage
infrastructure to enhance grid reliability and resilience across the region.
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Connecticut Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection, the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, the
New Hampshire Department of Energy, the Rhode Island Office of Energy
Resources, and the Vermont Department of Public Service submitted applications
for the Power Up New England project, and, in collaboration with the
State of New York, the Clean Resilience Link project for the second
round of funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Innovation
Program (GIP). The projects feature transformational investments in the power
grid to strengthen grid reliability and resilience, unlock additional supplies
of renewable resources, and reduce energy burdens across the New England region
and beyond.
· Power Up New England features new and
upgraded transmission points of interconnection in Southeast Massachusetts and
Southeast Connecticut to unlock up to 4,800 megawatts (MW) of additional
offshore wind and innovative battery energy storage systems in Southwest
Connecticut and Northern Maine to enhance grid resilience and optimize delivery
of renewable energy. Project developers supporting the Power Up New England application
include Elevate Renewables, Eversource Energy, a multi-day energy storage technology
provider, and
National Grid.
· Clean Resilience Link features an
interregional transmission upgrade that would enable operation of a New
York-New England transmission line at 345 kilovolts (kV), increasing transfer
capacity between the two regions by up to 1,000 MW. Project developers
supporting the Clean Resilience Link application include National Grid
and Reactive Technologies.
“The Northeast region
offers DOE two compelling applications, highlighting our strong regional ties,”
said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth
Mahony. “As we work to achieve our climate goals and increase the
generation of renewable energy in the region, we need to invest in our
transmission system and storage resources to deliver clean energy to our
residents and businesses.”
The GIP, administered
through DOE’s $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP)
Program, is intended to fund projects that improve grid reliability and
resilience using advanced technologies and innovative partnerships and
approaches. The maximum award per project is $250 million, or $1 billion for a
project with significant transmission investment, like Power Up New England and
Clean Resilience Link. Up to $1.82 billion in funding is available
through the second round of the GIP. The deadline to submit applications to DOE
is April 17, 2024.
In pursuing federal
funds, the New England states seek to capture significant benefits for the
region and its 15 million residents and businesses. Funding through the DOE
program would offset costs for transmission and storage infrastructure projects
that support clean energy goals, enhance operational flexibility, grid reliability, and
resilience during extreme weather events and periods of system stress, and provide necessary
innovation in project planning and development.
The applications include
robust Community Benefits Plans that describe the actions project developers
will take related to community engagement, workforce development, and
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. An important objective of
DOE’s GIP and of state energy offices is to advance the interests of and
opportunities for disadvantaged communities as energy infrastructure is
developed across the nation.
Last September, the New
England states issued an Invitational Call for Innovative
Project Design Concepts to solicit proposals for possible
submission to DOE for the second round of the GIP. Project proposals were due
November 17, 2023. The New England states evaluated the proposals, with
technical assistance from ISO New England, the region’s grid operator. In
January, the states submitted concept papers for Power Up New England and
Clean Resilience Link, for which they received encouragement from DOE to
submit full applications. ISO New England continued to provide valuable
technical assistance to the states throughout the application process.
DOE is expected to announce
project selections this Fall.
"These two
applications for the Grid Innovation Program are the result of a
whole-of-government effort to compete for federal funding, and close
partnerships with our counterparts in neighboring states," said Massachusetts
Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. "The
funding would be transformational for the development of renewable energy and
grid resiliency across the entire Northeast region, and we look forward to the
consideration of our proposals by the U.S. Department of Energy."
"Connecticut is
excited to submit these two innovative projects, together with our sister New
England states, to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation Program,”
said Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Commissioner Katie Dykes. “If funded, these projects will provide critical
support to our state, regional, and national efforts to affordably and
equitably transition to a cleaner and more reliable grid."
“A more modern and
resilient electric grid is an essential component of Maine and the region's
clean energy future," said Dan Burgess, Director of the Maine
Governor’s Energy Office. “This joint application to the Grid Innovation
Program underscores the importance of continued collaboration with neighboring
states and puts forth thoughtful proposals that will help strengthen and
prepare our regional grid.”
“New Hampshire
appreciates opportunities for regional cooperation as we seek to improve our
system’s reliability and resiliency,” said New Hampshire Department of
Energy Commissioner Jared Chicoine. “We are excited to join New England in
pursuing support for this multi-pronged approach with the expectation that it
will provide ratepayer benefits."
“Regional collaboration
on significant energy projects is critical in advancing our collective clean
energy and system reliability efforts. These DOE applications provide a great
opportunity to make our regional energy system more resilient and reliable long
term," said Acting Rhode Island Energy Commissioner Chris Kearns.
“Vermont is encouraged
by the interstate collaboration that took place to submit these two
applications to the Department of Energy,” said Vermont Department of Public
Service Commissioner June Tierney. “These projects promise to deliver on
the values held by Vermont for electricity – reliability, affordability,
resilience, and sustainability.”
“Elevate believes we’re
at a pivotal inflection point where reliability meets a reasoned, clean energy
transition, and we’re excited to partner with the New England States and be
part of the Power Up portfolio of innovative projects considered for partnership
funding through DOE. Elevate is continuing to demonstrate the transformative
addition of a carbon-neutral battery storage system to transform the operations
of an existing generating facility to meet New England’s resiliency goals,
repurpose existing brownfield sites with clean energy investments to benefit
disadvantaged local communities, retaining and retraining a workforce for a new
era, and provide resources to address customer energy burdens, while enabling
the region for the clean energy transition,” said Eric Cherniss, Founder and
Head of Development at Elevate Renewables.
“Power Up presents an
opportunity for a transformational investment in New England’s clean energy
transition while improving grid reliability, reducing energy burdens for
customers, uplifting local communities, and creating high-quality jobs,” said Bill
Quinlan, President of Transmission and Offshore Wind Projects at Eversource
Energy. “Eversource is proud to be a partner in Power Up and help advance
the nation’s goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy. We are
confident our proposal will result in a new era of planning and development for
New England’s electric grid and deliver resounding local economic and community
benefits.”
“National Grid is proud
to partner with the six New England states, New York, and other developers to
propose two projects that will drive our region toward a stronger, smarter,
cleaner, and more resilient energy future,” said Lisa Wieland, President of
National Grid, New England. “These projects will deliver more clean
energy to our customers, create thousands of jobs, and bring significant
economic opportunities to our communities. National Grid looks forward to
partnering on these projects to help the region meet its clean energy
goals.”
