Electric companies encouraged to apply for federal grants; public comment period open

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has directed investor-owned electric utilities and electric cooperatives to apply for federal grants in Virginia’s utility infrastructure under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

IIJA created a program for federal financial assistance to promote electric utility investments in advanced generation, transmission and distribution technologies. Under the legislation, grants are available for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure and other fueling options.

IIJA establishes loans for the Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program, incentive payments to qualifying hydroelectric facilities, for a demonstration project for pumped storage hydropower for intermittent renewable energy, for various demonstration and pilot projects, and for programs to develop carbon capture technology to improve environmental performance of coal and natural gas use.

Interested parties are invited to file comments.

Written comments are due by Feb. 2, 2023 and may be submitted through the SCC’s website, select “Cases,” and then “Submit Public Comments.” Scroll to case number PUR-2022-00180.