(Reuters) -The Biden administration said on Tuesday it is investing $2.2 billion to revamp the country’s power grid to protect it from the growing threat of extreme weather events.
The U.S. government has been working to overhaul the country’s electrical transmission system, which has been strained by extreme weather and a growing number of energy-hungry data centers.
The power grid upgrades will add nearly 13 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, and will also enable increased production, more data centers and improved transmission of renewable energy, the Energy Ministry said in a statement.
The funding will support eight projects in 18 states.
“The first half of 2024 has already broken records for the warmest days in Earth’s history, and as extreme weather continues to impact every part of the country, we must act urgently to strengthen our aging network,” the U.S. Secretary of State said. Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement.
