Construct airport microgrid power supply

The Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region awarded $4,608,195.56 to Richland-Lexington Airport District on April 6, 2026, under the Airport Infrastructure Grants program (CFDA 20.117) to construct and modify on-airport facilities and install a solar microgrid power supply serving the airport's infrastructure.

The project is located in West Columbia, South Carolina, and performs through April 5, 2030. Richland-Lexington Airport District operates Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which serves the Columbia region as a key transportation infrastructure facility. The solar microgrid will be dedicated to the airport's own operations only.

The Airport Infrastructure Grants program, funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides grants for runway, taxiway, safety, sustainability, terminal, and related airport development projects at airports listed in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Grant recipients must maintain an up-to-date airport layout plan and retain accounting records for three years after submission of the final expenditure report. Periodic reports to the FAA must document projects bid, contracts awarded, work commenced, and work completed, along with associated federal funding amounts for each category.

Activities and expected outcomes

This project constructs and modifies on-airport facilities to install a solar microgrid power supply that only serves the airport's infrastructure. Intended beneficiary: this grant will provide federal funding for airports associated with columbia, south carolina.