Atlanta, Georgia – With an award of more than $160 million from the Department of Energy (DOE), Georgia Power has gotten a significant financial boost meant for rebuilding the state’s power grid. Under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, a larger federal effort spanning almost $2 billion across 38 projects nationwide, the funding aims to improve the resilience of the U.S. power infrastructure against extreme weather and other emerging hazards.
This investment corresponds with the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, whereby extreme damage to the electricity system resulted in hundreds of thousands of Georgians suffering from power outages. The fact that the DOE decided to support these improvements emphasizes how urgently more robust and durable energy systems are needed as extreme weather events get more common and stronger.
“In order to reach President Biden and Vice President Harris’ climate and clean energy goals, we need to more than double our current transmission capacity in just over a decade,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, in a press release.
“Today’s awards are moving us toward that future by expanding transmission capacity across the nation, getting more out of the grid we already have, and making our power system more reliable and resilient to extreme weather fueled by the climate crisis,” Podesta added.

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Georgia Power’s initiative is notably backed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which prioritizes reducing energy costs for consumers and expanding grid capacity to accommodate growing demands from sectors like manufacturing and data centers.
“We know our customers depend on us to make the investments needed in the state’s power grid to ensure that we provide the energy resilience and reliability they value and expect, while keeping energy prices affordable,” said Fran Forehand, senior vice president of Transmission for Georgia Power.
“Leveraging federal funding and working with the DOE to integrate innovative technology is a great example of how we do this. Thanks to the robust and long-term planning process we have in place with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), the investments we’re making in a smarter and more resilient power grid are showing value for our customers during extreme weather events such as Hurricane Helene, and every day,” Forehand added.
More than 650 miles of current lines will be improved by reconductoring and integrating grid-enhancing technologies, and over 300 miles of new transmission lines will be built. These developments are meant to not only resist extreme weather but also help to facilitate the interconnection of new renewable energy projects, therefore supporting a more dependable and sustainable energy future.

Part of a bigger government endeavor described by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America plan, the investment in Georgia’s electrical system supports the country’s infrastructure against the backdrop of technological development and climate change. Directly supporting around 6,000 employment and driving almost $4.2 billion in overall public and private investment, the DOE’s GRIP initiative is planned to enable over 7.5 gigawatts (GW) of new grid capacity nationally.
Beyond their immediate benefits, these improvements are projected to reduce energy costs for communities, improve general service dependability, and assist the United States in its change to a greener energy environment. With such extensive advantages, the project marks a significant progress in updating the energy systems of the country and protecting them from future challenges.