The GridWise Alliance applauds Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin’s Energy Infrastructure Act for the measure’s essential investments in our electricity grid.
The Energy Infrastructure Act provides over $19 billion in support for grid modernization, including $3 billion in funding for the Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program, which will facilitate the deployment of technologies to enhance grid flexibility. In addition, the Energy Infrastructure Act provides funding to help the electricity sector, including rural and municipal utilities, deter and respond to cyber-security attacks. The Energy Infrastructure Act also supports the deployment of broadband infrastructure that is a critical component of ensuring secure wireless communications for utilities.
“The investments in the Energy Infrastructure Act are essential to building a 21st electricity grid.” said Karen Wayland, GridWise Alliance CEO. “These investments will pay dividends in the form of a more secure, reliable and resilient grid that can successfully integrate increased renewable generation, along with the growing electrification of the transportation and building sectors, onto the grid.”
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a Full Committee hearing to examine infrastructure needs tomorrow, Thursday, June 24th, at 9:30 AM EDT. The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee website. GridWise Alliance looks forward to working with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and other lawmakers on these and other grid modernization policies.
About GridWise Alliance
The GridWise Alliance (GWA) represents the broad and diverse stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid. Since 2003, the GridWise Alliance has been at the forefront of educating key industry stakeholders on the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.