New York Awarded Nearly $24 Million Federal Grant to Strengthen and Modernize Electric Infrastructure

U.S. Department of Energy Grant Provides Support for New York Projects that Help Ensure Reliability of Infrastructure and Access to Affordable, Reliable Clean Energy

November 27, 2023

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York was awarded nearly $24 million in federal funding to strengthen and modernize the State’s electric grid to reduce the impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters. The Grid Resilience and Tribal Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide support for New York projects that help ensure the reliability of the State’s power sector infrastructure and access to affordable and clean electricity for New Yorkers. Today's announcement supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals to transition to 100 percent zero-emission electricity by 2040.

“As we’ve seen, the severity of extreme weather events is not slowing down and requires ongoing preparation and the buildout of our infrastructure to minimize the impacts of climate change on communities,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding underscores the benefits that New York’s productive partnership with the federal government continues to bring to the state and will help us modernize our electric grid and its associated infrastructure as part of future powered by clean energy.”

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on behalf of New York State, will administer the grant funds over a two-year period with the opportunity to apply for three additional years. NYSERDA plans to launch a competitive selection process in the first quarter of 2024 for projects that address goals in compliance with the award, which include:

• Storm Hardening: improving the resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events such as power outages due to storms that impact critical operations;
• Predictive Analytics: development of advanced data and metrics to detect electric system conditions before they become issues to support system reliability and resiliency;
• Climate Justice: reducing carbon emissions to ensure benefits of investments flow to communities that are underserved, marginalized and overburdened by pollution;
• Energy Affordability: deploying tools and technologies and ensuring optimized utilization of resources and electricity grid assets to reduce total system costs and address the burden of inadequate electricity distribution infrastructure; and
• Job Creation: increasing access to NYSERDA’s comprehensive workforce development portfolio of services for skilled clean energy workers.

New York is one of nine states and five tribal nations that were awarded a combined total of $125 million as the seventh cohort of Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants and will provide 15 percent matching funds through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as part of DOE's grant requirements. To learn more, visit NYSERDA’s website and the Grid Deployment Office’s website .

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “NYSERDA is pleased to implement this federal grid resilience grant that will provide an infusion of much-needed funding for critical grid infrastructure upgrades, helping offset the costs to New Yorkers while reducing instances of electricity disruption for consumers. Through this funding, we look forward to supporting projects that advance the transition to a zero-emission electric grid, update current systems, and reduce emissions by bringing clean energy to communities across the state, including those traditionally overburdened by pollution.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Winter is coming for New York State, and New Yorkers know all too well how powerful storms can knock out electricity and put communities at risk. This major nearly $24 million federal investment will help strengthen and modernize our state’s electric grid to become more resilient in the face of extreme weather, all while creating jobs and increasing access to affordable and clean electricity. Our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law is powering a brighter, stronger electrical grid for New York, lowering costs for families and creating good-paying, clean-energy jobs."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, "Every New Yorker should have access to reliable and affordable clean energy. This funding from the Department of Energy will be used for projects that strengthen and protect New York State’s electric grid from the impacts of climate change, helping ensure communities have reliable access to clean electricity during extreme weather events. I am proud to have worked to help secure this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for New York State and I will continue to fight to expand access to affordable, resilient, and clean energy for New Yorkers.”

Representative Grace Meng said, “As the Regional Leadership Council’s New York representative, I am excited that even more money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to our state, this time to upgrade New York’s electric grid. Strengthening and modernizing our grid benefits all New Yorkers by helping to improve resilience and clean energy while reducing costs and providing jobs. I am proud to have helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Congress and look forward to working with Governor Hochul to ensure that it continues to benefit New York.”

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Grid Deployment Director Maria Robinson said, “The Grid Resilience Formula Grants will enable communities in New York to protect households and businesses from blackouts or power shutdowns during extreme weather. Projects selected through this program will benefit communities by creating good-paying jobs to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy across the country.”

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 Indian Tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations, 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 clean, affordable, and reliable energy.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan 

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $55 billion in 145 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.