Georgia is among the states to benefit from a Biden Administration plan to strengthen the nation’s electric grid.
Wednesday, the Biden Administration announced $3.5 billion for 58 projects across the country to strengthen electric grid resilience from extreme weather events.
Georgia will receive $249 million for a partnership between the state’s environmental finance authority and companies that support the state’s electric cooperatives. The funds will support a project to upgrade the grid, including investments in battery storage, new transmission lines, and more.
The funds will focus on projects in rural parts of the state.
Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp., Georgia System Operations and Green Power EMC have committed to spend a total of $507 million on the projects, including the $250 million in federal money. All those entities are jointly owned by 38 electric cooperatives across Georgia.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday’s announcement was the largest federal investment ever in grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden electric systems and improve energy reliability and affordability.