On May 23, 2023, North Dakota joined three other states and two tribal nations in receiving the first Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). North Dakota was awarded $7.5 million, which will be administered by the North Dakota Industrial Commission through its Transmission Authority. The Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant program aims to ensure the reliability of power sector infrastructure so that communities have access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity.
In a joint statement, the three members of the Commission, Gov. Doug Burgum, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, stated, “This award presents an extraordinary opportunity for investments in grid resilience that will benefit every citizen of North Dakota. The fact that North Dakota was among the first four states to receive an award is a testament to North Dakota’s leadership on energy and grid resilience. We are grateful for the collaboration with other partners like the State Energy Research Center, the North Dakota Public Service Commission and the Department of Energy, which made the award possible.”
Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants distribute funding to states, territories and federally recognized Native American tribes over five years based on a formula that includes factors such as population size, land area, probability and severity of disruptive events, and a locality’s historical expenditures on mitigation efforts. Priority will be given to projects that generate the greatest community benefit providing affordable, reliable, clean electricity.
The North Dakota Transmission Authority will be soliciting applications from electric utilities in North Dakota that own transmission and distribution systems. During the 2023 legislative session, the North Dakota Legislature appropriated a $1.1 million state match, leading to a total amount of $8.6 million available for the 2023-2025 biennium.
The DOE has published a fact sheet with more information here.