Office of Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day to the energy workers who keep America’s electric grid operating safely and reliably around the clock. Their dedication ensures that homes, businesses, and communities across the country have the power they need every day.

And thank you to the team at the Office of Electricity for their ongoing work to advance the 21st century grid—making it more affordable, reliable, and secure—by engaging communities and driving innovation that strengthens and unleashes American energy dominance.

09/03/2026

Powering America starts with a stronger, smarter grid. ⚡

Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza visited PPL Corporation in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to see how investments in a stronger, smarter grid deliver real benefits for customers.

Supported through OE's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, PPL's Grid of the Future Project will implement advanced sensors, automated grid equipment, and real-time software to help identify problems before they cause outages, isolate disruptions when they occur, and give crews better information to restore power faster.

The result? Fewer disruptions, faster recovery, and more affordable, reliable electricity.

09/03/2026

Innovation makes its greatest impact when it moves from the lab to real-world deployment.

During a recent visit to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza saw how the lab is bringing together materials science, advanced manufacturing, and next generation energy storage testing and validation to accelerate the development and deployment of new technologies for the electric grid.

By connecting each stage of the innovation lifecycle, PNNL is helping give industry the confidence needed to adopt new technologies for a more affordable, reliable, and secure grid.

See how OE and PNNL are working together to move grid innovation forward. 👇

09/03/2026

Sometimes the challenge isn’t generating more electricity—it’s getting that electricity where it’s needed most.

In Utah, Project RELIEF is using OE funding for advanced conductors to increase the amount of power that existing transmission corridors can carry. That means more capacity, less need for new construction, and a stronger, more reliable grid for communities and businesses.

“It’s a great opportunity to strengthen the grid and bring affordable power into the rural areas and to also bring that economic growth that helps build communities.” – Nic, PacifiCorp

With support from the Office of Electricity, Project RELIEF is helping expand access to reliable power, strengthen rural economies, and prepare the grid for growing energy needs.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/_SP3OrfL9RU?si=-sjaCRKXM5snEilY

09/02/2026

Last call! We’re seeking public comment from local communities, Tribal Nations, states, regional reliability entities, and the general public on our draft 2026 National Transmission Needs Study.

Your input will shape the final study, which can inform investments and planning decisions. Comments are due September 7. https://www.energy.gov/oe/national-transmission-needs-study

09/02/2026

WEBINAR 🗓️ On September 24, the Office of Electricity’s Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership (C-MAP) will host a webinar on Controls and SCADA Best Practices for Microgrid Operations from 1–2:30 p.m. MT.

Reliable microgrid operation depends on effective controls, real-time monitoring, and the ability to identify any issues before they disrupt performance. This webinar will highlight practical strategies for reducing unnecessary trips, managing equipment cycling, and improving day-to-day system reliability. Attendees will leave with actionable practices and tools they can use to catch issues earlier, strengthen operations, and keep their microgrids performing at their best.

🔗 Register to join the webinar, hosted by National Laboratory of the Rockies: https://cmix.openei.org/support_and_events

09/01/2026

Under the Genesis Mission, the Office of Electricity announced $11.5M for a project led by Brookhaven National Laboratory that leverages artificial intelligence to modernize America’s electric grid!

This project will develop AI tools that enable utilities to rapidly analyze billions of grid scenarios, allowing the grid to expand faster and more intelligently. This will help utilities identify affordable ways to meet growing electricity demand, connect new businesses faster, avoid unnecessary infrastructure costs, and strengthen reliability.

By harnessing AI, we’re enabling faster, smarter, and more affordable grid decisions, strengthening reliability for homes and businesses nationwide. This is how we scale the grid to power the American economy!

Learn more:

Developing advanced AI tools for utility planning and affordable expansion of the grid as electricity demand grows.

09/01/2026

The Office of Electricity is bringing together leaders from across the power electronics community at the 2026 Grid Power and Control Electronics (Grid PACE) Annual Meeting, September 23–24 in Washington, D.C.

Grid PACE helps accelerate the transition of innovative power electronics research into real-world grid applications—strengthening U.S. capabilities, advancing grid affordability and reliability, and building a robust domestic network of grid and power electronics expertise.

The meeting will convene researchers, utilities, manufacturers, suppliers, National Laboratories, universities, and industry leaders to exchange knowledge, identify opportunities for collaboration, and help move promising technologies from research toward deployment.

Learn more and register by September 11:

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, with support from Sandia National Laboratories and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is hosting the 2026 Grid Power and Control Electronics (Grid PACE) Annual Meeting September 23–24, 2026, in Washington, DC. The Grid PACE Annual Meeting bri...

09/01/2026

Estes Park is one of the most beautiful places in the Rockies, but also one of the most vulnerable. Weather, floods, fires, and storms have left the community without power multiple times in recent years, impacting everything from small businesses to hospitals.

Platte River Power Authority and Estes Park Power and Communications (Town of Estes Park Colorado) are developing a battery energy storage system that will strengthen local grid resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and enable a future microgrid.

Supported by the Office of Electricity, this investment will help restore power more quickly following outages, safeguard essential facilities, and keep the community—and its 4.5 million annual visitors—connected and safe.

“The benefits of having this battery on the Estes grid is to be able to restore power sooner to critical infrastructure.” – Joe, Estes Park Power and Communications

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/nBlK9AKeTBY?si=7WBp_tcKS8EVAyw0

08/31/2026

Exciting news from the U.S. Department of Energy! We have announced the 13 Phase 1 winning teams of the Digitizing Utilities Prize Round 3. Each team will take home $75,000 in cash prizes and advance to the next phase.

Competitors were challenged to find an energy sector partner and make advancements toward addressing reliability and resilience challenges they are facing with advanced data analytics. Read more about the winning solutions and each team's plans for Phase 2: https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/doe-office-electricity-announces-prize-winners-strengthen-grid-reliability-and-security