Show Me the Money: $102 Million Available for Electricity Regulators and Grid Improvements (Transmission Analysis and Planning)

Show Me the Money: $102 Million Available for Electricity Regulators and Grid Improvements (Transmission Analysis and Planning)
6/17/2009

On June 15, 2009, President Obama announced that the Department of Energy ("DOE")—in accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("Recovery Act" or "ARRA")—is to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement ("FOA") to improve utility investment in the electric power sector. In related news, DOE also issued an FOA to increase electrical interconnectedness in the continental United States.

FOA #1: State Public Utility Commission ("PUC") Funding

Major electricity sector initiatives are created by the Recovery Act. When fulfilled, these initiatives will overload current electrical grid capacity. Recognizing these limitations, DOE has issued an FOA providing $46 million to PUCs to meet these increased demands. DOE intends to make funding available to PUCs to hire additional staff so they can ensure appropriate technical expertise will be dedicated to regulatory activities pertaining to ARRA electricity-related initiatives.

This initiative serves to accomplish three specific purposes:

increase the capacity of state PUCs to manage a significant increase in dockets and other regulatory actions resulting from ARRA electricity-related activities;
facilitate timely consideration by PUCs of ARRA electricity-related investments; and
create jobs.

Eligibility for this award is limited to public/regulatory commissions of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Cost sharing is not required.

Applications for this FOA must be submitted no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 31, 2009.

FOA #2: Electrical Interconnection Systems

DOE recognizes that the U.S. power grid is in need of a number of improvements. As such, this FOA has been issued to increase electrical interconnectedness among the lower 48 states, either in establishing or further developing capabilities of the three interconnections (the Western Interconnection, the Eastern Interconnection, and the Texas Interconnection) that comprise the U.S. power grid. Facilitating and accelerating the development of important new transmission facilities will—in many cases—facilitate and accelerate the development of renewable or other low-carbon generation capacity power sources. Additionally, increased funding will facilitate increased collaboration on resource and transmission planning among the states at the regional level.

Funding for this particular initiative stands to improve communication, planning, quality of information available, and awareness on a broad scale.

All types of domestic entities are eligible to apply, except DOE/NNSA National Laboratory Contractors, other federal agencies, non-DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Center Contractors, and nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required.

Applications for this FOA must be filed no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 14, 2009. If you have questions about any of these FOAs or other renewable energy issues, or if you would like to discuss the possibility of your project applying for these or other government funds, please contact:

Seattle, Washington
David Benson at (206) 386-7584 or dlbenson@stoel.com
Janet F. Jacobs at (206) 386-7582 or jfjacobs@stoel.com
J. Graham Noyes at (206) 386-7615 or jgnoyes@stoel.com
John Laney at (206) 386 7559 or jslaney@stoel.com