1 - Final Energy Resilience Construction RFP _ 2026.pdf

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for Energy Resilience Construction Grants. The RFP solicits proposals from eligible entities including municipalities, municipal electric utilities, investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, and other qualified entities to design and construct projects that enhance the resilience of Connecticut's electric grid against extreme weather events, wildfires, natural disasters, and outage-related disruptions. Eligible projects encompass resilience-focused infrastructure upgrades and distributed energy resource deployments statewide. Individual project grants range from $10,000 to $6 million, with total funding availability of approximately $24 million. Proposals are due on December 1, 2026. Applicants must demonstrate project readiness through preliminary engineering and environmental assessments, with preference given to shovel-ready projects. The evaluation process prioritizes technical merit, cost-effectiveness, community benefit, and alignment with state energy goals.

Funding for this grant program derives from three sources: Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40101(d) formula funding, state bond cost match funding authorized under Connecticut General Statutes Section 16-243y, and Federal Sustainable Energy Program BIL funding. Selected applicants must comply with grant agreements requiring progress reporting, financial documentation, compliance with construction timelines and quality standards, applicable federal and state procurement regulations, prevailing wage requirements, and environmental review processes. The RFP requires detailed project descriptions, budget justifications, community resilience plans, and evidence of local support as part of the proposal submission requirements.