US Continues To Push For Grid Resiliency With $250 Million Financing For Georgia

The GRIP Programme Objectives

The DOE’s Grid Deployment Office is administering the GRIP Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to enhance grid flexibility, improve the resilience of the power system and ensure American communities have access to affordable, reliable and clean electricity when and where they need it.

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Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Transmission and Georgia System Operations serve 38 not-for-profit electric membership corporations (EMCs) across Georgia who provide retail electric service to more than 4.4 million residents. Together, these cooperatives generate power, transmit and distribute electricity across Georgia’s electric grid and monitor and manage the operation of the system. Green Power EMC serves the same 38 EMCs and sources renewable generation for the cooperative energy portfolio.

Financing Objectives

In its grant application, GEFA and its partners proposed grid projects that would benefit rural, underserved communities across Georgia. The projects aim to improve grid resilience and clean energy development in Georgia, with an estimated investment of approximately $507 million, of which approximately $250 million will be funded by the GRIP Program. The projects include investments in battery storage, local microgrids and grid reliability, while implementing new transmission lines to link communities and advanced grid control systems to improve system resilience. The projects will directly benefit millions of rural consumers who reside in disadvantaged communities served by Georgia’s electric cooperatives. GEFA will collaborate with key stakeholders and partners to execute the smart grid infrastructure upgrades.

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“Oglethorpe Power proposed three 25-megawatt utility-scale batteries in this grant application, subject to customary approvals. As we navigate the clean energy transition while simultaneously responding to increased electricity demands, we expect this energy storage project to enhance grid resiliency and enable the deployment of increased intermittent emission-free energy on Georgia’s electric grid,” said Oglethorpe Power President & CEO Mike Smith.

“Georgia’s EMCs lead the nation among electric cooperatives for utility-scale solar deployment, and this grant will help us continue to meet our members’ high expectations for reliability, while accommodating the growing renewable energy demands of Georgia’s homes and businesses,” said Green Power EMC President Jeff Pratt.

In addition to improved access to clean energy sources, the partners’ initiative is expected to lower energy bills through energy efficiency measures, particularly for low-income households and disadvantaged communities.

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“As an electric cooperative focused on transmission, we play an important role in providing reliable electric service to rural communities across our state,” said Georgia Transmission President & CEO Barbara Hampton. “As the energy landscape continues to evolve and our reliance on electricity increases, Georgia Transmission will use the funding provided by this grant to increase reliability and resiliency through advanced microgrid technology and infrastructure upgrades.”

“Our participation in the GRIP grant will profoundly enhance the tools and technologies used to operate the electric grid in Georgia,” said Georgia System Operations Corporation President & CEO Gregory S. Ford. “The focus of these enhancements will enable the corporation to better support the transition to renewable energy and integrate the projects funded by this grant into our day-to-day operations,” he added.