The six New England states report they’ve submitted two applications for federal funding for transmission projects aimed at improving grid reliability and enabling interconnection of clean energy resources.  

The applications are for the second round of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation Program, which offers up to $1.82 billion, capped at $1 billion for major individual transmission projects. 

The application for the “Clean Resilience Link” project was submitted in conjunction with New York state. The project, backed by National Grid, would upgrade a 230-kV line between New York and New England to 345 kV, “increasing transfer capacity between the two regions by up to 1,000 MW.” 

Analysis led by Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) and Hitachi Energy, and independently reviewed by the Brattle Group, found the project’s benefits would well exceed its costs.

“Even recognizing the large uncertainties, the ~$1.7b estimated system-wide benefits relative to the ~$600m net costs suggests that the project is highly favorable (with a ~$1b net benefit) from a systemwide perspective,” the Brattle Group wrote.  

The firm wrote that the project would address the need for increased transmission capacity between New England and New York, which has been documented in studies including the DOE National Transmission Needs Study and Massachusetts’ Energy Pathways to Deep Decarbonization report.  

The second project, titled “Power Up New England” is backed by developers including Eversource, National Grid and Elevate Renewables. The project is intended to upgrade and add points of interconnection in southern New England to unlock up to 4,800 MW of offshore wind and battery energy storage systems. 

“As we work to achieve our climate goals and increase the generation of renewable energy in the region, we need to invest in our transmission system and storage resources to deliver clean energy to our residents and businesses,” said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony in a press release. 

“This joint application to the Grid Innovation Program underscores the importance of continued collaboration with neighboring states and puts forth thoughtful proposals that will help strengthen and prepare our regional grid,” said Dan Burgess, director of the Maine Governor’s Energy Office. 

The states noted in an April 17 announcement that the applications contain “robust Community Benefits Plans” focused on “community engagement, workforce development, and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.” 

The projects were selected by the states through a joint solicitation of proposals in 2023, and the states submitted concept papers to DOE for the projects in January, with help from ISO-NE. 

The first found of Grid Innovation Program awards ranged from $1.7 million for a synchronous condenser conversion project in Hawaii to $464 million for a new interconnection collaboration in the central U.S.