Governor Laura Kelly announced that 11 Kansas communities have received over $17 million to enhance energy grid resilience. This funding includes nearly $12 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) through the U.S. Department of Energy’s 40101(d) Grid Resilience Grant Program, along with more than $5.8 million in matching contributions from the Kansas Infrastructure Hub and the Build Kansas Fund.

Recently, the Build Kansas Fund has helped cities like Ozawkie, Manhattan, Russell, Concordia, Dodge City, Topeka, Nortonville, Ellsworth, Edgerton, Hutchinson, Independence, and counties like Coffey and Morton, as well as the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District and the Salina Airport Authority, to get federal grants. In total, the Build Kansas Fund has invested over $28.5 million, leading to more than $44 million in federal grants.

The Kansas Infrastructure Hub connects different state agencies and helps communities find the best ways to use funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The Build Kansas Fund provides state funds to match projects in Kansas that apply for federal grants under BIL. In 2023, the Kansas Legislature and Governor Kelly approved $200 million for this fund to help local projects meet federal matching requirements.

 The 11 Kansas projects receiving grid resiliency funding include:

• City of Garden City – Underground Conductor and Transformer Replacement
  • Build Kansas Funding – $302,590
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $626,048
  • Total Project – $928,638
• City of Pratt – Substation Hardening
  • Build Kansas Funding – $1,034,551
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $2,140,449
  • Total Project – $3,175,000
• Victory Electric – South Dodge City Grid Resiliency
  • Build Kansas Funding – $715,395
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $1,480,129
  • Total Project – $2,195,524
• Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative – Resiliency Enhancements to Strategically Transfer Optimized Reliable Energy
  • Build Kansas Funding – $200,403
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $414,627
  • Total Project – $615,030
• Ark Valley Electric Cooperative – System Resiliency Project
  • Build Kansas Funding – $235,421
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $487,079
  • Total Project – $722,500
• Holton Electric – Transformer and Feeder Circuit Improvements
  • Build Kansas Funding – $796,360
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $1,647,640
  • Total Project – $2,444,000
• City of Blue Mound – Substation, Electric Line & Pole Replacement
  • Build Kansas Funding – $175,603
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $270,071
  • Total Project – $445,674
• City of Anthony– Circuit Reconstruction
  • Build Kansas Funding – $131,161
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $271,369
  • Total Project – $402,530
• Pioneer Electric Cooperative – Grid Resiliency, Vulnerability, and Innovation Initiative
  • Build Kansas Funding – $1,575,449
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $3,259,551
  • Total Project – $4,835,000
• City of Horton – Substation Upgrade
  • Build Kansas Funding – $529,494
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $1,095,506
  • Total Project – $1,625,000
• City of Attica – Rebuild High-Voltage Feeder Line
  • Build Kansas Funding – $143,371
  • Federal Funding Awarded – $296,629
  • Total Project – $440,000