The US Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative has now secured commitments from 21 US states. The program aims to bring together states, federal entities, and power sector stakeholders to help modernize the US power grid in order to respond to challenges and opportunities the sector will face in the coming years.

The 21 states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.

These states have committed to prioritizing efforts to adopt modern grid solutions to expand grid capacity and build modern grid capabilities on both new and existing transmission and distribution lines.

“American economic competitiveness globally relies on access to low-cost, reliable power. The Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative announced earlier today and already supported by 21 states, is meaningful progress toward the upgraded and better-connected transmission system that lies at the heart of the vision of ACORE’s Macro Grid Initiative,” said Ray Long, president and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). “This announcement builds on the commendable commitment to upgrade 100,0000 miles of existing transmission lines by utilizing public-private partnerships to deploy readily available technologies, such as grid enhancing technologies and high-performance conductors.”