The program offers three tracks: Key Assist, Interconnection Assistance and rolling technical assistance. North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives is participating in the Key Assist track, which provides utilities with up to $1 million of technical assistance to navigate complex grid integration challenges.

“This groundbreaking program, powered by collaboration, will accelerate grid deployment and the integration solutions needed to deliver more affordable, equitable and reliable electricity to communities throughout the country.”

“Funding through the program will be invested in improving microgrid support of the cooperative members and the electrical grid, utilizing the Eagle Chase residential microgrid in Youngsville as a testbed,” said Erik Hall, director of energy services & technology for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. The microgrid is powered by Wake Electric. “We’ll be able to apply lessons learned across currently deployed microgrids as well as future projects on electric cooperative systems.”

Additional electric co-ops participating in the Key Assist program are Vermont Electric Cooperative and Golden Valley Electric Association (Alaska), as well as Puget Sound Energy and a Guam-based municipal utility.

“These utilities represent a diverse cross-section of the American grid, encompassing both rural and urban landscapes, and serving millions of customers,” said EERE Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Marootian. “This groundbreaking program, powered by collaboration, will accelerate grid deployment and the integration solutions needed to deliver more affordable, equitable and reliable electricity to communities throughout the country.”