U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $28.7 Million to Protect the Grid Against Extreme Weather
Florida Community to Deploy Utility-Scale Battery Storage System to Support Critical Community Services and Save Municipal Utility Customers Money

In a continued effort to expedite the build out of a resilient and reliable electric grid, today (Dec 20, 2024) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $28.7 million investment in a more resilient and equitable energy system to protect Florida communities and businesses against extreme weather events. Supported by a Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program Grid Resilience Grant, the City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility's selected project will deploy a utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) to provide backup power to facilities providing critical services, like nursing homes and community centers. The BESS is also expected to provide an estimated overall annual fuel cost savings of $160,000 that will benefit municipal utility customers. 

"The residents of Florida repeatedly bear the impacts of extreme weather change, and the Biden-Harris Administration continues to work hard to ensure that all of the nation's grid is hardened in the face of intensified effects of climate change," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "The Administration's Investing in America agenda has delivered the largest grid investment in U.S. history, adding more power to the grid faster, improving reliability and resilience, and investing in innovative technologies so all Americans can have access to affordable, reliable energy."  

Like many communities across the country, Tallahassee, Florida experiences extreme weather events, and its existing substation is overburdened. In response to these challenges, the City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility was selected for a $28.7 million GRIP grant to implement a BESS at the Birmingham Street Substation to provide backup power during disruptive events and ensure continued operation of four facilities that provide essential services to the community: Lawrence-Gregory Community Center; Lincoln Center; Miracle Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; and Tallahassee Senior Center. 

The utility will engage the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response (RIDER) Center at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, local universities, community-based organizations, and residents, to develop and implement a Community Benefits Agreement. In further service of the local economy, the project will issue 30 Clean Energy Trades certificates to trainees, among other workforce opportunities. 

Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the GRIP program is investing $10.5 billion in communities across the country to enhance grid flexibility and improve the resilience of the power system against growing threats of extreme weather. Since October 2023, DOE has announced a total of $7.6 billion for 105 GRIP projects in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In total, GRIP projects are expected to enable 53 GW of grid capacity, equivalent to powering nearly 40 million homes each year. All told, through the first two rounds of funding, the GRIP program selected projects will add or upgrade nearly 2,500 miles of transmission. 

A full list of GRIP projects, including awards finalized to date, is available here. Award negotiations will begin immediately upon selection. DOE expects to launch a third round of GRIP funding in 2025.  

This investment supports the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investment in climate, clean energy, and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. 

The Investing in America agenda is providing the largest electric grid infrastructure investment in history to strengthen America's power grid while lowering energy costs and creating good-paying jobs. Under the Biden-Harris Administration's leadership, the U.S. is projected to build more new electric generation capacity this year than in two decades while also mobilizing to upgrade thousands of miles of existing transmission lines. This includes catalyzing nationwide collaboration on modern grid technologies and funding their deployment, accelerating transmission permitting, and increasing grid capacity to support electricity demand to support increased electrification, data centers, and manufacturing.