H.R. 3209 (117^th): Disaster Safe Power Grid Act of 2021

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means an electric utility, including—

Power line

The term power line includes a transmission line or a distribution line, as applicable.

Program

The term program means the program established under subsection (b).

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.

are supplemental to existing power grid-hardening efforts of the eligible entity planned for any given year;

are designed to enhance public safety; and

In general

An eligible entity desiring a grant under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

Requirement

As a condition of receiving a grant under the program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary as part of the application of the eligible entity under paragraph (1)—

for the undergrounding of new and existing power lines and circuits;

to harden overhead power lines with fire resistant or more resilient equipment, such as steel poles and covered wires;

to replace obsolete overhead conductors and underground cables;

to install fast-tripping protection systems;

to construct and operate 1 or more weather monitoring stations;

to install fault location equipment or early fault detection equipment;

for the relocation of power lines to roadways;

to carry out vegetation or fuels management activities in accordance with Federal, State, and local laws (including regulations);

to install technology or equipment to mitigate hazards from or to animals and related damage to the power grid;

to install cameras, sensors, or other technology that provides real-time information about conditions;

to install technology to detect downed conductors;

for the installation of electrical facilities necessary to sustain targeted microgrid operations, including storage for the integration of distributed energy resources into power grid operations, for the benefit of community resiliency following a main power grid outage;

to harden facilities, substations, and other systems for seismic events; and

for other, related power grid upgrades to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition or damage from natural disasters.

Wildfire set aside

In making grants under the program, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 40 percent of the total amounts made available to eligible entities under the program are made available to eligible entities that seek a grant for purposes of implementing a project or otherwise carrying out activities to reduce wildfire risk, as described in subsection (b)(3)(A).

Small utilities set aside

In making grants under the program, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 20 percent of the amounts made available to eligible entities under the program are made available to eligible entities that sell not more than 4,000,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year.

In general

Except as provided in paragraph (2), as a condition of receiving a grant under the program, an eligible entity shall provide matching funds in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution in an amount equal to not less than 100 percent of the amounts made available under the grant.

Exception for small utilities

With respect to an eligible entity that sells not more than 4,000,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year, as a condition of receiving a grant under the program, the eligible entity shall provide matching funds in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution in an amount equal to not less than 1/3 of the amounts made available under the grant.

Existing efforts

On approval by the Secretary, amounts expended by an eligible entity on power grid resiliency or wildfire risk mitigation efforts during the 1-year period ending on the date on which a grant is received under the program shall count toward the matching requirement described in paragraph (1) or (2), as applicable.

the resiliency of the power grid has increased under the program during the period covered by the report; and

the risk of wildfires caused by power lines has been reduced under the program during the period covered by the report.