The U.S. Dept. of Energy is seeking input before it launches a $2.3-billion grant program for power grid resilience funded under the new federal infrastructure spending law. It will provide up to $459 million annually over five years to states and tribes to help fund projects to modernize transmission systems and strengthening them against hazards such as extreme weather, wildfires and other disasters.
Officials say U.S. power outages tied to severe weather have doubled over the past 20 years, and both the frequency and length of failures have hit their highest levels since tracking began in 2013.