“This historic effort to strengthen the nation’s transmission will drive down costs for American families and deliver thousands of good-paying jobs for American workers—helping communities keep the lights on in the face of climate change-induced extreme weather events,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm.

Funding is available through the $2.5-billion Transmission Facilitation Program, which was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide financial support to help build new, large-scale transmission lines, upgrade existing infrastructure, and connect microgrids in Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. territories.

The three projects that will be supported in the program’s first round of funding include:

• The Cross-Tie 500-Kilovolt Transmission Line, a proposed 214-mile line that will connect existing transmission systems in Utah and Nevada.
• The Southline Transmission Project, a proposed 175-mile line that will help distribute renewable energy from New Mexico to markets in Arizona.
• The Twin States Clean Energy Link, a proposed 211-mile bidirectional line that will connect systems in New Hampshire and Vermont with clean energy supplies in Quebec, Canada.

The $1.3 billion in transmission funding is separate from the $3.9 billion that DOE announced in November would be available through its Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program to support “transformative transmission and distribution system solutions” from to-be-determined projects in 2024 and 2025.

The GRIP program, also established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, helps fund projects that will modernize the grid; guard against the impacts of extreme weather events; unlock more opportunities to integrate clean energy resources; and deploy innovative approaches to transmission, storage, and distribution projects.

The $3.9 billion represents the second tranche of GRIP funds that DOE has made available. In October, DOE announced it would commit an initial $3.5 billion to support 58 projects in 44 states, nearly half of which involve EEI member companies and their affiliates. Read more about the first round of GRIP funding in the November/December issue of EP.

“Southern Company recognizes the importance of developing and supplying carbon-free electricity as we continue our efforts toward our goal of reaching net zero by 2050,” said Southern Company President and CEO Chris Womack. “Through industry-leading innovation and a commitment to a net-zero future, we are delivering sustainable and resilient energy solutions that help drive growth and prosperity.”

By 2030, Southern Company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent from 2007 levels. As part of the MOU, the company will work with GSA to develop a roadmap that will lead to federal agencies in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi buying more renewable and carbon-free energy, including through the use of solar, battery storage, nuclear energy, and hydrogen technologies. GSA is engaging in similar initiatives across the country with other EEI member companies, including Entergy, Pepco, and Xcel Energy.

“Through smart partnerships with energy service providers, we can help advance sustainability, create jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure a healthier planet for our kids,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.

The U.S. Army is currently the largest federal customer served by Southern Company. In a statement, Army Assistant Secretary for Installations, Energy, and Environment Rachel Jacobson said the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army are “committed to using carbon-free energy to support our national defense” and that the MOU “demonstrates the exact kind of collaboration that is key to improving the reliability and resilience of the commercial grid and achieving our carbon-free energy and readiness goals.