Department of Energy & TVA Announce Grants

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that the Tennessee Valley Authority and 10 local power companies were selected for a $250 million grant from Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program to fund 84 energy security projects to ensure local communities have access to affordable, reliable and clean electricity.

This community-centric investment will help increase grid capacity up to 2,400 megawatts, mitigate extreme weather risks, and speed development of thousands of megawatts of solar and up to 800-megawatts of wind power. These initiatives will have a direct benefit to communities and people across the region.

Anticipated Outcomes and Benefits from the grant include, Add up to 2,400 megawatts of transmission grid capacity, reduce TVA’s solar interconnection queue, reduce outage times and create the first interconnection tie between TVA and the Southwest Power Pool,

Provide an anticipated 94% reduction in localized outage durations, providing 360 disadvantaged communities with an estimated $250 million in economic benefit, with about 50% of the project benefits flowing directly to disadvantaged communities, in line with the Justice40 Initiative.

Create approximately 800 jobs over five years, of which 99.7% will be union construction labor. TVA pledges a 33%

apprenticeship rate, boosting apprentice wages, and increased engagement with businesses majority owned or controlled by underrepresented groups.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to 10 million people across seven southeastern states.