Eight Georgia communities and electric utilities were awarded grants totaling $18,381,573.88 for 10 grid resilience projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). This investment in grid resilience combines funding allocated by GEFA from the Investment and Jobs Act and the U.S. Department of Energy’s 40101(d) program with an additional $9,052,186 in local matching funds.

The grant and local match funding—totaling $27.4 million—will improve electric grid infrastructure in Georgia, particularly as it relates to the ability to withstand and recover from potential disruptions. These projects are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office.

The eight communities and electric utilities receiving funding include:

  • City of Albany/Albany Utilities – Upgrade, standardize, and modernize equipment within three electric distribution substations. This project will ensure system resiliency and reliability.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $1,342,281.88
    • Local match funding: $657,718.12
    • Total project investment: $2,000,000.00
  • Cobb Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) – Upgrade aged equipment including solid blade switches to smart vacuum switches to significantly improve system reliability.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $5,744,012
    • Local match funding: $2,843,917
    • Total project investment: $8,617,929.00
  • City of Elberton – Upgrade 8,000 feet of primary power line and pole replacement to ensure the grid infrastructure is prepared to handle current and future demands with a focus on long-term reliability and safety.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $1,040,268.46
    • Local match funding: $509,731.54
    • Total project investment: $1,550,000.00
  • City of Lafayette – Upgrade equipment to strengthen the city’s electric grid, address vulnerabilities, and improve performance and system reliability during extreme weather.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $778,706.04
    • Local Match: $381,565.96
    • Total project investment: $1,160,272
  • Marietta Board of Lights and Water – Install new SCADA-controlled vacuum interruptible switches to support fault detection isolation and recovery (FDIR) deployment and increase system resiliency and reliability.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $2,659,031.00
    • Local match funding: $1,303,488.00
    • Total project investment: $3,962,519.00
  • City of Monroe (two projects) – Upgrade and replace aging power lines and poles with modern aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) cable to ensure system reliability.The improvements will also include installing new connecting equipment to the new poles, new transformers, and new service lines to increase system reliability, reduce outages and provide a more reliable service to power customers.
    • Project 1
      • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $1,251,920.81
      • Local match funding: $613,441.19
      • Total project investment: $1,865,362.00
    • Project 2
      • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $593,040.27
      • Local match funding: $290,589.73
      • Total project investment: $883,630.00
  • Rayle EMC – Implement a strategic infrastructure upgrade plan, including targeted vegetation management and selective pole upgrades to address critical vulnerabilities. This project will improve the grid’s ability to withstand and recover from disruptive events and increase system reliability and resiliency.
    • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $3,240,971.14
    • Local match funding: $1,588,075.86
    • Total project investment: $4,829,047.00
  • City of Sylvania (two projects) – Replace 178 phase three poles integral to maintaining reliable electrical service. The improvements will also include replacing several areas of copper lines in the city’s electrical system and the hardware and poles that are aging. This project will ensure system reliability and resiliency.
    • Project 1:
      • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $671,140.94
      • Local match funding: $328,859.06
      • Total project investment: $1,000,000
    • Project 2
      • Federal funding awarded through GEFA: $1,030,201.34
      • Local match funding: $504,798.66
      • Total project investment: $1,535,000