Grid Resilience and Reliability Projects

Grid Resilience and Reliability Projects is sponsored by Washington State Department of Commerce. Washington State invests in projects to modernize the grid and strengthen energy systems.

Grid Resilience and Reliability – Washington State Department of Commerce Shared Standards Initiative 简体中文 ( Chinese (Simplified) ) 繁體中文 ( Chinese (Traditional) ) Tiếng Việt ( Vietnamese ) Grid Resilience and Reliability Authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program (often referred to as section 40101(d)) is designed to strengthen and modernize the power grid against wildfires, extreme weather, and other natural disasters.

In 2024, Commerce awarded state funds to a diverse set of projects, with priority given to efforts that generate the greatest community benefit by providing clean, affordable, and reliable energy, and reducing the frequency and duration of power outages. Washington Grid Resilience Program Commerce is accepting applications starting Sept.

5, 2025, to support the construction of grid resilience and reliability projects for electric utilities in Washington state. $17. 5 million will be available to qualifying and competitive projects.

In the Fall 2024 application round, 18 sub-recipient applications, totaling a funding request of $23,596,973, were selected to advance to the U.S. Department of Energy for approval. This program is open to applicants listed below who satisfy the minimum qualifications and are available for work in Washington. Additional applicant eligibility requirements correspond to specific project categories.

Eligible entities for awards include: electric grid operators, electricity storage operators, electricity generators, transmission owners or operators, distribution providers, fuel suppliers, and other applicants approved by DOE. Electric utilities of all sizes are eligible for this funding. Small utilities will have 40% of the funding reserved for their projects, while 60% will be open to utilities of any size.

Do I qualify as a small utility? The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines small utilities as having retail sales of less than 4,000,000 MWh per year. Applicants can use the reported information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Annual Electric Power Industry Repor t to determine whether their utility is eligible.

Additional information for Washington-specific utilities can also be found in the Washington State Electric Utility Resource Planning 2022 Report . What projects are eligible? Projects that increase the reliability and resiliency of power grids are eligible for funding.

Projects must improve the reliability and resilience of the grid against disruptive events, such as extreme weather, wildfires and/or natural disasters.

Some examples of eligible projects include fire-resistant technologies and fire prevention systems, the undergrounding of electrical equipment, utility pole management, projects that enhance system adaptive capacity, etc. To view the full list of eligible projects, see the Request for Applications (RFA). Other measures as determined or approved by DOE. All applications must be reviewed and approved by DOE before the final award is made.

Which projects are most competitive? Projects that will be the most competitive will accomplish at a minimum, one of the following: Reduce the number of customers impacted Reduce the frequency of electricity service disruptions Reduce the duration of outages The Clean Grid team will publish a Request for Applications (RFA) for each funding opportunity when it opens.

The RFA will outline eligibility guidelines, evaluation criteria, and instructions for applying. Commerce will hold a pre-application conference before applications are due for each funding round to answer questions. Questions will also be accepted by email.

Applicants only need to submit one application per project to apply for grant funding, and they may submit applications for multiple projects. Please submit your application using Zoom grants . Access the grid resiliency program documents (on Box) to see information about eligibility, evaluation criteria, application materials, instructions for applying, listening session resources and weekly Q&A documents.

The application will be open from September 5-November 20, 2025. You must submit your completed application by November 20, 11:59 a. m.

September 5, 2025: Application opens at 12 a. m. September 18, 2025: Pre-application conference at 3 p.

m. October 7, 2025: Pre-application conference at 10 a. m.

November 20, 2025: Completed applications must be submitted by 11:59 a. m. January 2026: Sub-awardees and non-awardees notified.

January 2026-April 2026: DOE evaluates successful applications for final award approval. April 2026 : Earliest date the contract may be signed. Technical assistant opportunities Grid Resilience Technical Assistance Program Applicants seeking technical assistance with their project or application can reach out to the Department of Commerce’s Energy Resilience and Emergency Response Office (EREMO).

Request technical assistance from EREMO by filling out this intake form .

Federal Funding Grant Writing Assistance Program (FFGWAP) In partnership with Hagerty Consulting, Commerce launched the Federal Funding Grant Writing Assistance Program, designed for Washington community-based organizations, local government agencies, ports, housing authorities, tribes, businesses, and others eligible to receive federal funds to prepare and submit grant applications. Learn more about FFGWAP.

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