Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and other federal funding announcements

The Minnesota Department of Commerce is seeking to work with and facilitate connections with local and Tribal governments, utilities, businesses, communities and other entities interested in energy-related partnerships. Funding opportunities outlined below are offered through the federal funding opportunities, including those funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

SURVEY: Provide Commerce your input regarding the Grid Resiliency (40101d) funding opportunity

This is a re-send of a newsletter issued Friday October 14 containing a request for your participation in a Grid Resilience survey. Commerce has extended the survey close date to Monday, October 31. Your responses to survey questions will give Commerce useful insight and understanding of Grid Resilience plans through-out Minnesota. Commerce greatly appreciates recipients' taking time to complete the survey over the next few days.

Thank you for your help.

This issue is a survey participation request targeted to those eligible entities and applicants for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Grid Resilience funding sections as listed below. Eligibility listings for the various funding opportunities can be found on this document.

40101c: Grants to Eligible Entities on Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid (Grid Resilience Grants)

40101d: Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid, Formula Grants for State and Indian Tribes

40103b: Program Upgrading Our Electric Grid and Ensuring Reliability and Resiliency (Grid Innovation Program)

40103c: Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas

40107: Deployment of Technologies to Enhance Grid Flexibility (Smart Grid Grants)

If you are an electric utility that submits an integrated distribution plan (IDP), it is not necessary to complete this survey. Commerce may request information not found in previously filed IDPs via the Information Request (IR) process.

ACTION REQUESTED: Please take one of two brief surveys linked below.

In August, Commerce undertook stakeholder engagement activities, including the issuance of surveys around grid resilience planning and preparation of the 40101(d) State Plan. If your organization provided feedback via the survey, via email, in a meeting or via a phone call, thank you for doing so. (Results from the August survey can be accessed here.)

On September 1, 2022, the US Department of Energy (DOE) extended the deadline for submissions to the 40101d funding opportunity and issued two announcements related to funding opportunities under GRIP: Grid Resilience Innovation Program (40101c, 40103b, 40107). Given GRIP announcements, Commerce is asking utilities, Eligible Entities, and Eligible Applicants to provide additional feedback regarding Grid Resilience Planning, via a second survey. This input will assist the Department of Commerce in further refining the 40101(d) MN Grid Resilience State Plan by giving consideration of the other IIJA grid related funds (40101c, 40103b, 40107, 40103c) and the Department’s role relative to those other IIJA grid-related funds.

Links to the appropriate survey for each stakeholder group are provided in the sections below. Please complete the survey by the survey close date of Monday, October 31, 2022.

Survey for Utilities that do not submit an Integrated Distribution Plan, plus other 40101d or 40101c eligible entities as listed below:

an electric grid operator,
an electricity storage operator,
an electricity generator,
a transmission owner or operator,
a distribution provider,
a fuel supplier

Please respond to 40101d Survey 2 HERE. Estimated time of completion: 10-15 minutes.

Survey for Non-utility eligible applicants for IIJA grid related sections 40103b, 40107, and 40103c listed below:

Institution of higher education
For-profit entity
Non-profit entity
State-agency
Local governmental entity
Tribal Nation
Public Utility Commission
Industry Partner
National Laboratory
Community Based Organizations
Environmental Groups
Non-eligible entity stakeholder
- Non-eligible entity stakeholders may respond to the non-utility eligible survey; however, the questions are largely developed to gather information from eligible entities.

Please respond to 40101d Survey 2 HERE. Estimated time of completion: 5-10 minutes.

Utilities that submit Integrated Distribution Plans: Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power Company, Otter Tail Power Company, Dakota Electric Association

It is not necessary to complete this survey. An information request may be made through the IDP process for information related to this effort.

ACTION REQUESTED: Register for the Survey Results Webinar

The Department will hold a webinar on November 17, 2022, from 10:00 - 11:30 AM to review the stakeholder input received on this survey, and to provide an update on the development of the 40101d state plan. Please register for the webinar HERE.

Ask us! The MN Commerce Department is your partner for IIJA energy-specific funding opportunities

Interested in partnering with the Department of Commerce around funding opportunities? Have questions? Send an email, detailing the program, your organization and contact information to IIJA Initiatives Project Manager, Kellye Rose: [email protected].

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Minnesota Department of Commerce | Energy Division
85 7th Place East, Suite 280 | St. Paul, MN 55101
Email: [email protected]
Local: 651-539-1886 | Greater MN: 1-800-657-3710

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