Georgia Power secures $160 million DOE grant for grid enhancement
Georgia Power has received $160 million from the US Department of Energy (DOE) under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) programme to enhance the resilience and efficiency of Georgia’s power grid.
This funding, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to lower investment costs for customers and boost grid flexibility, ensuring communities have reliable and affordable electricity.
The grant will support various projects across Georgia, aiding the state’s transition to cleaner energy and the modernization of its electric grid. Investments will focus on the transmission system, including high-voltage power lines, to meet current and future energy demands.
Georgia Power will use the GRIP funding to implement technologies like dynamic line rating and reconductoring of high-voltage power lines. Advanced conductor technology will enable faster service deployment on existing structures, maximizing power capacity within current transmission lines and rights of way.
These developments will accommodate the needs of existing and new customers while integrating an increasing share of clean energy generation. Fran Forehand, Georgia Power’s senior vice-president of transmission, highlighted the importance of leveraging federal funding to integrate innovative technology, ensuring energy resilience and reliability for customers while keeping prices affordable. The company’s investments, made in collaboration with the Georgia Public Service Commission, have proven beneficial, particularly during extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Power, the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, serves 2.7 million customers. Its diverse generation mix includes nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables such as solar, hydroelectric, and wind. In September 2024, the company announced four new battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects across the state, with a combined capacity of 500 MW.