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In December, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $8 million in grants through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Enhancing Grid Resilience and Reliability Program, including $1,665,000 to UMass Amherst to upgrade its electrical distribution system. The grant program was designed in partnership with the state’s Department of Energy Resources (DOER) through funding provided by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The award to UMass Amherst is a matching grant that provides funding for major improvements to the campus’ hybrid microgrid, which features advanced battery storage capacity and the largest behind-the-meter solar array in the state. Upgrades to the electrical distribution system will include installation of smart relays that can determine the direction and magnitude of system faults and make quick protective adjustments to mitigate their impact. The grant will also fund installation of automatic transfer switches at the Campus Center and four Dining Commons buildings plus an underground duct bank at McGuirk Stadium, resulting in improved supply reliability to these facilities in the event of an outage.

Another key aspect of the grant is the funding of two apprenticeships in the high voltage trades that are essential to implementing the project and supporting the campus’ broader energy initiatives. The apprenticeships will be created through the UMass Partnership for Worker Education’s Career Ladder program, which provides workforce development opportunities to Facilities and Campus Services workers with broad range of educational backgrounds and skillsets. 

“We’re very grateful for the continued support of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the MassCEC,” said Shane Conklin, associate vice chancellor of facilities and campus services. “This grant provides a major boost to our efforts to integrate the many sustainable electrification efforts now underway and reinforces our commitment to provide cleaner and more reliable electricity to the campus and surrounding communities.”

In describing the impact of the $8 million of MassCEC funding, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper commented, “These projects will ensure that families can keep the lights and heat on during storms, give businesses the security to grow, and make sure our transition to clean energy is built on a foundation of reliability.”

For more information on the Grants for Enhancing Grid Resilience and Reliability Program, visit https://www.masscec.com/grants-enhancing-ma-grid-resilience-reliability.