Maryland Energy Administration Opens Highly Anticipated “Maryland RISE” Electricity Grid Resilience Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tim Zink | 443-758-7344

Major new effort aims to strengthen Maryland’s grid against extreme weather and attacks

BALTIMORE – The Maryland Energy Administration today announced the launch of a major new program to make improvements to the electricity grid that improve reliability and energy resilience. 

“In the face of rising demand for electricity and the more frequent and severe storms triggered by climate change, we absolutely must have a reliable electric grid. Our grid is battered and getting worse, meaning that the new Maryland RISE program is essential to reducing power outages and keeping the state moving toward its clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “The agency looks forward to working with its federal and local community partners to make our grid more robust and resilient.”    

The Maryland Resilient Infrastructure for Sustainable Energy Program (“Maryland RISE”) is currently open for applications. This program provides funds to Maryland’s utilities, bulk power system operators and related power-industry stakeholders. Funds are provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The program has a total budget of $15 million, subject to funding availability.  

The electricity grid faces a growing number of threats. Outages are increasing due to its age, along with the increasing frequency of severe weather events. The grid also can suffer physical damage caused by bad actors and cyberattacks, which have made investments in improving the grid’s durability, reliability and power quality essential.   

The Maryland RISE Program is competitive. Program applications are due to the Maryland Energy Administration by January 21, 2025. Funds are offered under two areas of interest, based on the amount of an applicant’s retail electricity sales. In addition to state requirements, grantees will need to meet federal requirements as a condition of funding. Eligible activities generally include grid infrastructure improvements such as fire suppression systems, reconductoring power lines, undergrounding and many others.

Full eligibility requirements are available in the Program’s Funding Opportunity Announcement, which is available on the Maryland RISE Program webpage. 

Questions should be directed to the Maryland RISE Program Team via email at GridResilience.MEA@Maryland.gov. 

The mission of the Maryland Energy Administration is to promote clean, affordable, reliable energy and energy-related greenhouse gas emission reductions to benefit Marylanders in a just and equitable manner. For more information about the agency, visit us on our website at Energy.Maryland.gov, and follow us on social media: LinkedIn | X | Facebook.  

-###-