These emergency preparedness plans are expected to ensure that local governments can recover and restore power quickly following any energy supply disruptions.
This is the first time that the DOE will provide grants to local communities for energy assurance planning. The Recovery Act awards will benefit approximately 15 million citizens in 25 states by focusing on improved emergency planning for the entire energy supply system, including the electricity grid, refining, storage, and distribution of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.
Steven Chu, secretary of the DOE, said: “These awards will help communities plan for quick, effective responses to a range of potential energy emergencies. Energy assurance planning at the local level provides important support for our national security, limiting the costs and damages from blackouts and other energy disruptions and ensuring power is restored to homes and businesses as quickly as possible.”
These Local Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) funds will allow local governments to hire and train staff and expand their capabilities to respond to a variety of energy emergencies such as blackouts, hurricanes, floods, ice storms, or possible terrorist attacks. Additionally, the LEAP funding will facilitate information sharing and coordination between states, local jurisdictions, and industry, reducing duplication and decreasing the time required to recover and restore the energy infrastructure.
