Peters’ Bill Comes After Hundreds of Thousands of Michigan Residents Lost Power Due to Devastating Ice Storm
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced new bipartisan legislation to strengthen the resiliency of power grids in Michigan and across the country. Peters’ Preventing Power Outages Act would reauthorize two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant programs that help states and utilities invest in modernizing their grid infrastructure to help ensure that the power stays on even during extreme weather and natural disasters. The bill – which Peters introduced with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) – would also update these programs to ensure that sufficient funding goes to states whose grids are least reliable and require the most investment, like Michigan.
“Thousands of Michigan households lost power for weeks on end after the catastrophic ice storm that recently hit Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, and our dedicated lineman are still working to fully restore power in some communities. This devastating storm was just one of many severe weather events in recent years that significantly disrupted our electrical grid and, as a result, risked the safety of Michiganders. It's clear that our power infrastructure is in dire need of upgrades in order to keep our residents safe, keep energy costs down, and meet the growing demands of our communities,” said Senator Peters. “I'm leading this bipartisan bill to help ensure Michigan can access the federal resources we need to strengthen our power grid to reduce outages, improve reliability, and deliver affordable power to every Michigan household.”
In 2024, the Michigan Public Service Commission released the results of an independent, third-party audit that found Michigan’s power infrastructure severely underperformed in reliability and service restoration times. This report highlighted the numerous challenges facing Michigan’s energy systems and the severe need for long-term, strategic investment to improve grid resiliency and deliver reliable power for all Michigan residents. However, without federal assistance, grid repair costs often ultimately fall to the very consumers that are being impacted by rising energy rates, poor reliability, and long service restoration times.
Peters' Preventing Power Outages Act would reauthorize and update DOE’s Grid Resilience State/Tribal Formula Grants Program and Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants Program – which have collectively delivered over $123 million in federal funding to Michigan to date for much-need grid improvements but are set to expire in 2026. Funding from these programs can be used for undergrounding electrical equipment, utility pole management, relocating power lines, and more. It can also be used to acquire innovative technologies including weatherization equipment, fire-resistant technologies, and fire prevention systems. Without reauthorization, states like Michigan that require significant grid upgrades could go without the necessary investments to address ongoing challenges. Peters’ legislation aims to protect these critical federal resources and ensure Michiganders and Americans across the country have access to safe, reliable, and affordable power.
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