Specifications include, but are not limited to: he Minnesota Department of Commerce is focused on improving the resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events by modernizing the electric grid and reducing the impacts of climate-driven extreme weather and natural disasters while also increasing electricity reliability. During this first round of funding, Commerce will provide grants to eligible entities to enhance the resilience of the state’s electric grid. These program objectives will guide resilience investment decisions on projects awarded 40101(d) funding: 1. Maintain or improve energy reliability and/or resilience by reducing the likelihood and consequences of power outages within the utility territory and/or community. 2. Generate the greatest community benefit in reducing the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events. 3. Enhance equity: Align with the Federal Government’s Justice40 initiative and prioritize projects that serve disadvantaged communities. 4. Support quality jobs as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility: Strengthen prosperity by expanding good-paying, safe jobs accessible to all workers and job growth through investments in domestic supply chains. 5. Mitigate natural hazard risk: maintain or improve energy reliability or resilience against major Minnesota disruptive events such as extreme weather and other natural disasters (i.e. flood, wind, tornado, winter storms, ice, cold, fire, drought, heat, or other natural hazards).
