$700M microgrid bill has state energy office, electrical manufacturer support

A new bill in the Senate would put $700 million toward microgrids, the small local power systems (often paired with solar panels or battery storage) that can keep homes and businesses running during outages by disconnecting from the main grid. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont introduced the STRONG GRID Act, which would direct $200 million to a Department of Energy pilot program and $500 million to state grants over the next year.

For homeowners, the state grant money is the part worth watching. It would let state energy offices fund microgrid feasibility studies, design work, construction of generation and battery storage equipment, and cybersecurity upgrades. The bill doesn't create a program for individual households to apply for money directly, but if your state sets up a grid resilience program under this law, it could support local microgrid projects, such as ones serving a neighborhood or town, that make outages less disruptive where you live.

The bill has backing from the National Association of State Energy Officials, the GridWise Alliance, and electrical equipment manufacturers, who argue it would help protect communities as extreme weather strains the power grid and demand keeps rising. Supporters say microgrids offer a faster way to add resilience in high-risk areas than upgrading traditional power lines, which can take years. The bill has just been introduced, so it still needs to pass Congress before any of this funding becomes available. Whether it affects your area will depend on whether your state applies for and sets up a program under it.