Arkansas, US: The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration has announced that it expects to secure more than $10 million in federal grants to bolster the state's electrical infrastructure and improve its resilience against natural disasters.

The funds will be allocated as $5.16 million for the 2022 fiscal year and $5.14 million for the 2023 fiscal year, with additional funding expected for the 2024-2026 fiscal years, though specific amounts have yet to be disclosed, according to a press release from the department. These grants are part of the $2.5 billion Grid Enhancement Grant Program initiated by the federal Department of Energy, which aims to strengthen and modernize the nation's power grid, making it more resilient against wildfires, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters.

The Department of Energy has extended the application timeframe for the 2022 fiscal year grants, ensuring that the funding remains available despite the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2022. Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, confirmed this information. The program's description outlines eligible enhancement measures, including weatherization technologies, fire-resistant technologies and prevention systems, underground relocation of electrical equipment, and power line relocations. Electric grid operators, electric storage operators, electricity generators, transmission owners or operators, distribution providers, and fuel suppliers are among the eligible recipients for these grants, as stated in the state's draft program narrative.

Source: arktimes.com