Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on June 5 announced more than $6 million in grants for public power utilities to improve the dependability of the electric grid and keep the lights on during disruptive events such as extreme weather, wildfire or natural disasters.
The Kentucky Grid Resilience Grant Program public power utility awardees are:
Hopkinsville Electric System – $1,451,443 This project will allow Hopkinsville Electric System (HES) to detect outages in real-time and respond to customers more efficiently, as well as provide energy usage data that can help customers know more about their energy consumption.
“We’re honored and excited to be chosen to receive the Kentucky Grid Resilience Grant,” said HES Controller Cody Noffsinger. “The $1.45 million grant award will allow our nonprofit municipality to enhance and strengthen our electric grid, which serves 13,000 homes and businesses in the city of Hopkinsville. Funds will be used to implement the latest advanced metering infrastructure technology to collect detailed energy data, giving us the ability to quickly detect and respond to power outages, control load demand and provide enhanced customer service. We look forward to partnering with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to benefit the citizens of our community.”
Princeton Electric Plant Board – $1,752,207 This grant will fund a two-phase project to enhance the safety, reliability and resilience of the grid in Caldwell County. The first phase will replace 61 wooden poles with more durable steel poles capable of withstanding 140 mph winds. They’ll also be replacing 30,000 linear feet of line with more resilient materials that will increase capacity and reduce power loss. The second phase includes the installation of 4,200 smart meters equipped with GPS and real-time alert systems.
Chris Burton, the general manager of the Princeton Electric Plant Board, said, “The Princeton Electric Plant Board is incredibly grateful and excited to receive this grant. This funding is not only an investment in our community today, but also in the well-being of future generations. We are now able to move forward with initiatives that, until recently, were only dreams.”
Owensboro Municipal Utilities – $1,668,750 Owensboro Municipal Utilities (OMU) is receiving this grant to relocate a high-voltage transmission Tower (Tower 22) and move it further inland due to erosion along the Ohio River where it now sits. This tower supports over 16,000 residents and critical industry and infrastructure, like Owensboro Riverport and the airport.
“On behalf of our customers and the Utility Commission, Owensboro Municipal Utilities (OMU) would like to thank the Kentucky Grid Resilience Program and the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet’s Office of Energy Policy for providing the funding necessary to ensure the reliability of our electric system,” said Tim Lyons, OMU general manager. “The $1.7 million grant will be used to fortify a tower carrying a 138kV electric transmission line critical to the reliability of our electric system. Recent flooding and erosion have escalated the need for this project.”
Williamstown Utility Commission – $1,143,588 The Circuit 43 Project will replace over 21,000 feet of powerline, 150 poles and update hardware within the system, providing more than 1,000 residents with more reliable power and quicker response time.
Joe McComas, superintendent of the Williamstown Utility Commission, said, “We’re grateful to see the approval of this grant and look forward to working together to strengthen this community’s electrical infrastructure and provide security and peace of mind for our families and businesses.”
The Kentucky Grid Resilience Grant Program is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The program is designed to strengthen and modernize the electrical infrastructure in the commonwealth to provide a more resilient power grid against disruptive events. In addition to the federal funding awarded to these projects, each selected project must also match 1/3 of the federal funding award.
The grant funding awarded to municipal power utilities represents year three of the five-year initiative.
Previous funds were awarded to improve regional resilience in Kentucky State Parks, which are key to supporting disaster survivors in the aftermath of significant weather events.
