Maryland Energy Administration Launches New Maryland Energy Infrastructure Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jahmai Sharp-Moore | 443-694-3651

August 8, 2019 – Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) today announced the launch of a new program, Maryland Energy Infrastructure Program (MEIP), aimed at  expanding natural gas offerings statewide. A total of $3.7 million is available during the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), which will be dispersed between three grants: Maryland Anchor Customer Program (MACP), Maryland Cost in Aid of Construction Dispensation Fund (CDF), and  Local Distribution Company (LDC) matching grant.

“The Maryland Energy Infrastructure Program offers to lower energy prices to residents and businesses on the Eastern Shore, as well as other underserved communities throughout  Maryland,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director, Mary Beth Tung. “These new natural gas programs will expand access and opportunities to low-carbon energy.”

MACP is a competitive grant, open to businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits in Maryland. Eligible projects promote natural gas distribution, including but not limited to: investing in assets that assist customers in converting their operations to natural gas, projects that reintegrate previous natural gas customers who no longer possess natural gas infrastructure or functional infrastructure, and provide a benefit to existing customers who are not currently utilizing their natural gas infrastructure that are seeking to expand their energy demand.

CDF provides funding to eligible local distribution companies, which eliminates additional charges typically paid by ratepayers for infrastructure builds. With this grant, companies can  create and fund their expansion projects.

LDC matching grants are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to assist with the following projects: new customers, reintegration of previous natural gas customers, and existing customers who are not presently utilizing their natural gas infrastructure. LDCs who presently hold a state and/or federal license to operate natural gas infrastructure in Maryland are eligible. All hard assets such as piping, city gates, compression stations, locators, and couplings must be installed and operated in Maryland.

The new MEIP programs all stem from the Maryland Gas Expansion Fund, a merger benefit resource that is held as a subaccount of the Strategic Energy Investment Fund (SEIF). For more information on these grants, click here.

###

Maryland Energy Administration

The mission of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is to promote affordable, reliable and cleaner energy for the benefit of all Marylanders. To achieve its mission, MEA advises the Governor and General Assembly on matters relating to energy policy. MEA administers grant and loan programs to encourage clean energy technologies in all sectors of Maryland’s economy: Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, and Transportation. For more information about the Maryland Energy Administration, visit www.energy.maryland.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.