New England States Selected to Receive $389 Million in Federal Funding for Transformational Offshore Wind Transmission and Energy Storage Infrastructure Investments

Published on Tuesday, August 06, 2024

States secure highly competitive funds from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation Program for offshore wind points of interconnection in Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut and multi-day storage in Northern Maine

PROVIDENCE – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that it has selected the New England states’ Power Up New England (Power Up) proposal to receive up to $389 million to fund the application the New England states submitted to DOE through the second round of the agency’s competitive Grid Innovation Program (GIP). 

Power Up features significant investments in regional electric infrastructure including proactive upgrades to points of interconnection in Southeast Massachusetts and Southeast Connecticut to ready the onshore transmission system for up to 4,800 megawatts (MW) of additional offshore wind. Power Up will also deploy an innovative, multi-day battery energy storage system in Northern Maine to enhance grid resilience and optimize the delivery of renewable energy. This regional collaboration is vital to advancing our clean energy goals as these investments will help make our grid more resilient and reliable while reducing energy burdens across New England. 

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the New Hampshire Department of Energy, and the Vermont Department of Public Service submitted Power Up into the second round of DOE’s GIP in April of 2024. The application was supported by Power Up’s project developers Form Energy, Eversource Energy, and National Grid. 

"This federal funding award is critical to advancing New England's offshore wind opportunities, improving our regional energy system, and aligning with our Act on Climate clean energy development objectives," said Governor McKee. "I am so proud of the strong collaboration by the New England State Energy Offices in securing these federal funds for our collective consumers, which will provide long-term benefits."

“This is good news for our regional power grid’s resiliency and sustainability,” said Senator Jack Reed. “This $389 million in federal funds from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law should help support offshore wind projects that bring good-paying jobs and environmental benefits while helping to reduce long-term energy costs for Rhode Islanders.”

“Built off of Rhode Island’s early success, New England is leading the deployment of clean offshore wind technology,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “This significant federal funding will help the region further its expansion of offshore wind by making needed investments in transmission and energy storage while improving the reliability and resiliency of the electric grid.”

“Offshore wind offers a unique opportunity to increase clean, domestic energy production and lower energy costs for ratepayers,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “This federal funding is a huge win for Rhode Island and will help accelerate our state’s transition to affordable, clean energy.”

“Successful deployment of energy generated by offshore wind is an essential component of Rhode Island’s blue economy,” said Rep. Gabe Amo, a member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. “Today’s announcement of a $389 million federal investment in the New England region by the Department of Energy will help advance our goal to deliver affordable clean energy for residents in the Ocean State. I am proud that our state and region are collaborating to provide a more resilient grid that benefits consumers while supporting an industry committed to creating good-paying union jobs.”

"The Power Up New England award from the U.S. Department of Energy marks an important milestone in Rhode Island and New England's development of offshore wind and battery energy storage opportunities,” said Acting Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources Commissioner Chris Kearns. "These federal funds will help secure long-term improvements to our region's energy system for consumers, help accelerate the development of offshore wind, and advance our respective states' climate goals.”

GIP is administered through DOE’s $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program to fund projects that improve grid reliability and resilience using advanced technologies and innovative partnerships and approaches. The maximum award per project is $250 million, or $1 billion for a project with significant transmission investment, which Power Up features. In the first round of GIP, only one project received an award greater than $250 million.