Great River Energy is one of 12 cooperative electric utilities across the country selected to negotiate contracts for over $97 million in federal infrastructure funding.
The funding will be provided through the Department of Energy’s $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, which was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 to enhance grid flexibility while ensuring access to affordable, reliable power.
Great River Energy and its member-owner cooperatives have worked together to modernize Minnesota’s grid for years, implementing leading-edge technology and processes over decades. This funding will allow Great River Energy to expedite resilience-enhancing projects using innovative technologies that have long been on the cooperative’s radar but not yet attainable without additional financial support.
“This federal funding will help us meet evolving energy demands by integrating tailored transmission solutions within Great River Energy’s diverse service territory — all while keeping costs down for our member owners.”
— Owen Henriksen, transmission strategy specialist at Great River Energy
As part of the funding, Great River Energy will receive $15.4 million for two advanced transmission initiatives. The first project involves rebuilding a section of 115-kilovolt line with advanced overhead conductors, offering cost-effective capacity expansion, enhanced resilience and congestion relief. The second project incorporates battery storage as a non-wires solution to improve transmission reliability in a rural, environmentally sensitive area of Great River Energy’s system.
“This funding award reflects years of Great River Energy’s forward-thinking and innovative, collaborative approach, serving as a testament to the inventive spirit that Great River Energy has embraced to find efficient solutions for complex problems,” said Great River Energy Vice President and Chief Transmission Officer Priti Patel.
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