October 30, 2013

GOV. MALLOY ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR NEW ROUND OF NATION'S FIRST STATEWIDE MICROGRID PROGRAM

Second Round of $15 Million Will Build on Initial Success

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced the schedule for a second round of Connecticut's microgrid program. The program was launched following recent storms to develop innovative ways to keep critical buildings (police stations, emergency operation centers, shelters, etc.) and commercial centers powered during electric grid outages.

"We are intently focused on improving the resiliency of the power grid and its ability to withstand the effects of major storms and other disasters," said Governor Malloy. "Our first-in-the-nation microgrid program is an essential tool to help minimize hardships to our residents and businesses when severe storms occur. We all know that it is not a question of if, but when the next super storm will strike, and it is essential we do everything we can to be prepared."

A pilot microgrid program, administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, was created under Public Act 12-148 to increase the safety and quality of life for Connecticut residents during electric grid outage situations. Microgrids will provide electricity to critical facilities and town centers on a 24/7, daily basis. They will also include a system of "trips" and "transfers" to isolate the microgrid and provide power within its network even when there is a large-scale outage.

"It is essential to public safety that power be maintained to critical facilities and town centers even when the electric grid is down," said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty. "Connecticut and the northeast continue to experience more severe and more frequent storms, so it is vital that the state aggressively pursues the development of microgrids statewide so that we are in a better position to provide critical services to the state's residents and businesses."

The schedule was developed in consultation with participants from the first round of the program, as well as other stakeholders to better accommodate the amount of time needed by Connecticut municipalities to craft a submission for the second round.

The schedule is as follows:

Microgrid Round Two Program Schedule

Notice of Round Two Microgrids Program Schedule and Outline	October 30, 2013
Comments Due on Round Two Microgrids Program Schedule	December 3, 2013
Program Information Release (FAQ)	December 2013
Issue Round Two Request for Proposal (RFP)	January 2014
Round Two RFP Bidder's Conference	February 2014
Round Two RFP Submission Response Date	June 2014
Announce Selection of Non-municipal and Municipal Awards	September 2014

The first round of the program awarded $18 million in grants to nine microgrid projects in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Groton, Hartford, Middletown, Storrs, Windham, and Woodbridge as part of the Governor's Storm Legislation . Those projects are expected to become operational over the course of the next 18 months, with the first projects slated to come online in early 2014. The $15 million for the new round of microgrid projects was authorized as part of the FY14-FY15 Biennial Budget.

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For Immediate Release: October 30, 2013

Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy