KNN Business Wire | October 21, 2026
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy announced on October 20 that about $967 million in additional funding is available through the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant program. The money is intended to help states, territories, and federally recognized tribal governments strengthen local electricity systems against disruption, including damage from severe weather and wildfire.
What the announcement actually does
This is an allocation and application announcement, not a declaration that $967 million in specific construction projects is already finished. Under the program, eligible governments receive allocations based on a formula and then establish their own processes for funding qualifying resilience projects. Those projects may involve hardening transmission or distribution assets, reducing outage risk, or supporting backup systems where permitted.
DOE says the fiscal 2025 and 2026 grant application window opened on October 20, 2026. The published deadline is February 17, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, giving new applicants and existing recipients a window to request their allocations. DOE says the program is in years four and five of a five-year initiative.
Why households and businesses should pay attention
A more resilient grid can reduce the length or frequency of disruptions, an issue for households, hospitals, farms and employers. DOE also says the investments are intended to help keep power affordable. That is an agency objective, however, not evidence that utility customers will immediately see lower rates. Any measurable cost savings will depend on which projects receive funds, their construction schedules and local power-system conditions.
Eligible applicants can review allocations, rules and technical resources through the DOE’s official program page. The department also provides step-by-step application training videos on that page for government applicants.
What happens next
States and tribal governments will submit or request their allocations, complete reviews, and identify local projects. The pace and benefits of individual upgrades remain to be determined. KNN will distinguish promised outcomes from funded, completed construction as the program progresses.
Sources and image note
U.S. Department of Energy, October 20 announcement · DOE program details and application deadline · Reuters coverage, October 20.
Featured image: illustrative power infrastructure photograph by Mohamed B. / Unsplash; it does not depict a specific DOE-funded project.
