The Minnesota Department of Commerce and East Central Energy (ECE) welcomed U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Katie Jereza to Milaca on Oct. 1 to see firsthand how federal and state investments are strengthening Minnesota’s electric grid.

The tour included seeing an ECE substation where approximately $1.6 million in grant funding from federal and state sources helped support new equipment and technology designed to improve reliability, increase capacity and make the electric system more resilient during severe storms and other disruptions.

The improvements include a new, higher-capacity transformer, advanced sensor technology and fencing designed to protect equipment from wildlife. The investment strengthens infrastructure supporting approximately 70,000 members served by ECE in east-central Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

The project received $1.2 million in funding through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and Minnesota Department of Commerce as part of the Strengthening the Reliability and Resiliency of Minnesota’s Electrical Grid program, also known as Minnesota’s Federal Grid Resilience Program.

ECE also received just over $400,000 from the Minnesota State Competitiveness Fund Matching Funds Program established by the Minnesota Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz in 2023 to support Minnesota projects pursuing federal funds.

Minnesota’s Federal Grid Resilience Program supports projects that strengthen the electric grid against severe weather, natural disasters and other disruptive events. The program —administered through the Commerce Department's Division of Energy Resources — also supports grid modernization and opportunities to grow Minnesota’s energy workforce.

“This project shows what’s possible when federal, state and local partners work together to turn infrastructure investments into meaningful improvements for Minnesotans,” said Commerce Temporary Commissioner Julia Dreier. “A stronger, more resilient electric grid means communities are better prepared when severe weather strikes — and families, businesses and essential services can have greater confidence that the power they rely on will be there when they need it most.”

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Contact
Jen Longaecker | Media Relations and Public Affairs Director
651-478-9457
Minnesota Department of Commerce
news.commerce@state.mn.us