On October 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility to receive $23,462,167 to enhance the U.S. power grid's ability to deliver affordable, clean energy to American communities across Lake Worth Beach and surrounding communities. The funds will advance the ongoing System Hardening and Reliability Improvement Project (SHRIP) which is already reducing outages and providing more stable service to customers of Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility.
“Extreme weather events fueled by climate change will continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems, but President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will ensure America’s power grid can provide reliable, affordable power,” said U.S Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability and affordability—all while generating union jobs for highly skilled workers.”
“Receiving this significant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy is not just a testament to our commitment to resilience and innovation but also a step forward in ensuring a sustainable future for Lake Worth Beach residents," said Lake Worth Beach Mayor, Betty Resch. "We are grateful for this opportunity to further enhance our electrical infrastructure, making it more robust and reliable. Together, with community support and strategic partnerships, we will pave the way for a brighter, greener, and more resilient Lake Worth Beach.”
The funds are part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, which seeks to enhance grid flexibility and improve the resilience of the power system against growing threats of extreme weather and climate change. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, the GRIP program leverages federal and private investments to ensure that communities across the nation have a reliable grid that's prepared for extreme weather while also delivering affordable, clean energy and creating robust local opportunities for economic investment and jobs.
The SHRIP initiative in Lake Worth Beach has ambitious and transformative goals. Firstly, it aims to invigorate our community by creating between 100–125 quality jobs across various professional and STEM sectors, while also prioritizing contracts for small, local businesses that represent our diverse community. Additionally, our goal is to leverage these improvements to not only reduce outages in Disadvantaged Communities areas by 35% within four years but also to substantially expand our solar energy capacity, improve our grid's cyber resilience, and proactively address challenges related to climate change and evolving power demands. This all-encompassing approach ensures that Lake Worth Beach remains at the forefront of sustainable and resilient energy practices.
To learn more, visit Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility's website (https://CitizenOwnedEnergy.com) and the Grid Deployment Office’s website (https://www.energy.gov/gdo/grid-deployment-office).
