$237 Million Funding Opportunity: Energy Department Moves to Strengthen Grid Supply Chain and Lower Electricity Costs
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced in Washington on October 30 a $237 million funding opportunity to boost American manufacturing and strengthen supply chains for critical electric grid components. The investment is expected to deliver an estimated $125 million in annual utility savings and keep an estimated $50 million per year in the U.S. economy that would otherwise go to foreign suppliers.
DOE said the investments will help facilitate the reliable flow of electricity for American families and businesses and position the U.S. as a global leader in foundational technologies, by incentivizing the refurbishment and reuse of critical equipment and encouraging the adoption of alternative materials and subcomponents that are sourced and made in America. The efforts will lower costs, strengthen grid reliability, and meet growing electricity demand.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said President Trump is bringing American industry and manufacturing back home, including the critical equipment and components needed to power the nation, and that the Energy Department is investing in American-made technologies and modernizing the grid to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and deliver affordable, reliable electricity.
The funding opportunity will support projects in two key areas: up to $50 million for projects that promote greater refurbishment and reuse of existing grid equipment and materials, and up to $187 million for projects that increase the use of alternative materials and subcomponents sourced and made in the U.S., reducing dependence on imports.
Office of Electricity Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza said America should never have to rely on foreign suppliers to keep the lights on, adding that the department is putting American ingenuity to work on next-generation grid technologies that strengthen the domestic supply chain, help lower costs, and make the grid more reliable.
DOE said the Grid Supply Chain Alternatives to Lead Energy Dominance (Grid SCALED) funding opportunity is the first under its Grid Supply Chain Program, which is authorized to provide up to $375 million to strengthen domestic supply chains for the manufacturing of distribution and power transformers, grid components, and materials. Additional funding announcements are anticipated in 2027 for next-generation technologies, including solid-state transformers, and to promote common configurations to streamline manufacturing.
Applicants must submit a concept paper by November 20, 2026, to qualify to submit a full application. Full applications are due by February 8, 2027.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Washington 的美国能源部总部 Forrestal 大楼。GSM联邦机构固定图库照片，摄影 Tim Evanson，CC BY-SA 2.0，来源 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Energy headquarters, the Forrestal Building in Washington. GSM federal agency library photo by Tim Evanson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
