New round of federal grants injects billions into rural renewable energy projects

NCW News reports on a new round of federal funding and its focus on communities across the country with fewer than 10,000 residents. The funds come from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, part of the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program. Ferry County PUD accessed a $5 million grant to connect about 135-190 homes to the grid for the first time, extending 30 miles of underground electric distribution lines. The service area includes parts of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and other tribal members who live off the reservation. The underground lines will prevent power outages from things like falling tree limbs or wildfires. The grant also will help upgrade one of the rural area’s substations, which will help make the grid more resilient.