MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy has approved a South Carolina program for strengthening the state’s electric grid resiliency and awarded $10.4 million in funding for the first two years. Santee Cooper, which is owned by the State, will administer the grant for South Carolina.
“South Carolina is subject to all kinds of natural disasters, from hurricanes to ice storms, that can wreak havoc on our state electric grid,” said Jimmy Staton, Santee Cooper president and CEO. “Santee Cooper is pleased to serve South Carolina in directing this grant money to projects that improve our grid resiliency, help us withstand these forces of nature and keep the lights on across the state.”
The grant is part of the DOE’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant program, which seeks to ensure the reliability of the nation’s electric infrastructure to maintain affordable, reliable and clean electricity for communities.
Santee Cooper’s South Carolina Grid Resilience Program will direct grant funding to eligible entities that can help modernize the state electric grid and reduce impacts from extreme weather and natural disasters. Santee Cooper will work with Guidehouse, an independent grant administrator, to solicit project proposals from electric cooperatives, municipal utilities and other eligible entities in the coming weeks. The approved funding covers the first two years of a five-year program that allocates approximately $25 million to South Carolina.
More information is available at www.santeecooper.com/gridresiliencegrant .