Connecticut Launches Microgrid Storm-Resistance Plan

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy announced $18 million in funding for a microgrid storm-protection pilot program designed to keep critical buildings powered during major storms.

Malloy called the pilot, which lawmakers passed as part of Malloy's storm bill, the nation's first statewide. He recommended an additional $30 million for the program over two years.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will administer the program, which will target such facilities as the Naval submarine base in Groton, the University of Hartford and St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Malloy told reporters on Wednesday.

The funding will serve nine projects overall.

Microgrids are expected to provide electricity to critical facilities and town centers around the clock and would include an isolation system to provide power amid large-scale outages.

The Groton base will receive $3 million for cogeneration turbine diesel. Since the base is a federal concern, this funding comes through the state Department of Economic and Community Development and not through DEEP.

The University of Hartford and St. Francis Hospital will get a combined $2.3 million.

Other targeted facilities include Bridgeport City Hall and the Woodbridge police and fire complex ($3 million each); the University of Connecticut Depot Campus in Storrs ($2.1 million); Parkville Cluster School in Hartford, ($2 million); Fairfield police and fire headquarters ($1.2 million); Wesleyan University in Middletown ($694,000); and two schools in Windham ($640,000).

In a separate weather-related move, the Connecticut Bond Commission, which Malloy chairs, approved $5 million in emergency assistance on Friday for farmers hurt by flooding. Individual awards would be based on the number of qualifying applications received by the July 15 deadline, the governor said.

According to Malloy, agriculture contributes $3.5 billion to Connecticut's economy and accounts for roughly 28,000 jobs statewide.

"The recent rainfall, on top of snow damage suffered this winter, has put many of Connecticut's farmers in an untenable situation," said DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith.

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