Massachusetts Program
The Commonwealth has been awarded approximately $13.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the formula grant opportunity "Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid," established by Section 40101(d) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Increased electricity demand and more severe weather events pose a challenge to Massachusetts’ grid infrastructure and state energy users. This program funds projects to enhance the resilience of the electric grid, prevent outages, and mitigate the impact of disruptive events.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), MassCEC developed a program that aims to:
- Identify and fund projects that can improve energy reliability and resilience, while reducing the cost and number of outages for communities and underserved populations
- Support clean energy and decarbonization solutions, including building electrification
- Advance MassCEC and DOER equity, environmental and energy justice priorities
- Create good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union
In summer 2024, MassCEC posted a Request for Proposals soliciting applications from eligible subawardees. Prior to the release of that RFP, MassCEC solicited feedback on draft guidelines for subawards and responded to all questions from stakeholders.
Federal Program Background
"Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid” funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides funding to States and Indian Tribes to improve the resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events. Under the program, the DOE will provide grants to eligible applicants to improve the resilience and reliability of their electric grids. These grants offer a unique opportunity to advance the capabilities of States and Indian Tribes to address current and future resilience needs.
Contact us with any questions via grid@masscec.com!
Round 1 Awardees
MassCEC has awarded more than $8 million to eight subrecipients whose projects will strengthen Massachusetts’ electric grid, reduce costly outages, and better protect residents from the impacts of extreme weather:
- Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department awarded $2,867,044 to develop a comprehensive microgrid at Northeast Metro Tech and Wakefield Memorial high schools.
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst awarded $1,665,000 to upgrade its campus microgrid by installing automatic transfer switches at five buildings and protective relay upgrades at 45 locations, and by constructing a duct bank.
- Marblehead Municipal Light Department awarded $1,328,253 to replace wood poles with stronger composite materials as well as to underground an 1800-foot section of vulnerable distribution line.
- Paxton Municipal Light Department awarded $1,180,039 to replace and upgrade a substation transformer.
- Holyoke Gas and Electric awarded $460,000 to replace 1.5 miles of overhead spacer cable in their service territory.
- Templeton Light and Water Department awarded $397,281 to reconductor and reconstruct a single-phase line and replace an aging transformer at an assisted living facility.
- Littleton Electric Light Department awarded $285,522 to install Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) reclosers on part of their distribution system.
- Chester Municipal Light Department awarded $30,000 to manage vegetation along one of its power lines.
Public Hearing
On September 23, 2024, MassCEC hosted a public forum to announce a necessary adjustment to the Grants for Enhancing MA Grid Resilience & Reliability Program funding requirements. MassCEC initially estimated that 59% of Massachusetts customers were served by small utilities and tentatively allocated 59% of the program funding as a minimum share for these entities, relying on a data source suggested by the DOE. However, MassCEC subsequently identified a more accurate, Massachusetts-specific data source, which revealed that approximately 13.5% of customers are served by small utilities. The Program Narrative will be updated to reflect that 13.5% of program funding will be made available for small utilities, emphasizing that this percentage sets the minimum funding requirement for small utilities, not a limitation on the total funding they can receive.
Note: Updates to the Program Narrative have been highlighted in yellow for clarity.
Previous Hearings
MassCEC plans to update Section IV: "Funding Distribution" of the program narrative to amend the required cost match from subawardees. Currently, large entities must match 100% of the award, and small entities must match one third (1/3) of the award; the program narrative defines the parameters distinguishing between "large" and "small" entities. MassCEC's prospective cost match changes may require large entities to contribute up to 115% of the award and small entities to contribute up to one third (1/3) plus 15% of the award. This change was discussed at the public hearing.