For Immediate Release:         
October 24, 2023
          
Contact:         
Grace Hoge
[email protected]

Governor Kelly Announces Funding for Kansas to Improve Electrical Grid's Resilience and Capacity

~~Enhancements Targeted to Prepare State for Extreme Weather Events~~

TOPEKA—Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansas is receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to make the state’s electrical grid more robust and resilient against extreme weather events as part of the Joint Targeted Interconnection Queue Portfolio (JTIQ). The project will coordinate the planning, design, and construction of 5 transmission projects across 7 Midwest states. This investment comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office and is funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

In May, Governor Kelly submitted a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Granholm in support of this project. Representative Sharice Davids also submitted a letter of support.

“These funds will help modernize Kansas’ power grid to increase energy reliability and efficiency,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This investment continues our progress on electrical projects and emergency preparedness, protecting the well-being of Kansans around the state.”

“By modernizing our electric grid, we are creating good-paying jobs and ensuring folks across Kansas have access to clean, affordable electricity, even during extreme weather events,” said Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03). “I’m proud to have helped bring these investments home to Kansas through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which continues to make a positive impact on the lives of Kansas families and businesses.”

In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced multiple projects that will benefit Kansas through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, including:

Wildfire Mitigation and Renewable Energy Access in Western Kansas: Kansas is receiving $96 million through Midwest Energy to rebuild and replace transmission lines. Learn more about this project here.
Wildfire Assessment and Resilience for Networks: Kansas is one of 16 states sharing in more than $99 million awarded to Holy Cross Energy for wildfire mitigation. Learn more about this project here.
Distribution Automation in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma: Kansas is one of 4 states sharing in more than $47 million awarded to the Empire District Electric Company to improve resilience and upgrade systems. Learn more about this project here.

“These new projects will bring lower energy costs, more reliable energy to the region and create jobs for highly skilled workers in the combined SPP-MISO region,” said Barbara Sugg, Southwest Power Pool President and CEO. “This portfolio represents the first interregional projects for the two regions, allowing both organizations to collaborate on regional reliability risks and pave the way for future projects.”

Additional information about the JTIQ portfolio can be found here.

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