Department of Natural Resources awards $3 million to City Utilities of Springfield
City Utilities will improve resilience of its power grid
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUGUST 13, 2026 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $3 million grant to City Utilities of Springfield for utility pole and transformer replacements and vegetation management.
Using these funds, City Utilities will target poles that are over 50 years old along with associated transformers. The utility will additionally focus on replacing antiquated transformers that are susceptible to outages and could create potential environmental contamination. City Utilities expects the overall cost of the project to total almost $4.5 million, with the balance of funding provided by the utility as cost match.
Municipal and cooperative utilities often face capital constraints when trying to improve the reliability and resilience of their electric grids. The department’s awards under the Program allow utilities to improve the quality of the electric service provided to customers in a timely and cost-effective manner. City Utilities’ project will take four years to complete.
“Reliable electricity is vital to the well-being of Missourians, and our funding will allow Springfield residents to maintain access to that service,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Department of Natural Resources.
The department’s Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program finances utility infrastructure investments that improve the all-hazards resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events and prevent outages. Along with utility pole and transformer replacements and vegetation management, eligible projects include power line reconductoring, equipment undergrounding, and other types of resilience-related upgrades. Utilities that receive funding provide cost match based on the number of customers served.
The department’s Division of Energy administers the Program. The Division of Energy advances affordable, reliable, in-state energy for Missourians through state energy planning, grants and loans, and weatherization services. The Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program is capitalized by a $20.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
For more information, visit the department's Grid Resilience Formula Funding (GRFF) Subgrants webpage.
###
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
