Collaborations Advancing Rapid Load Additions (CARLA)

Due: April 24, 2025 5 PM ET

ConnectWerx, a Partnership Intermediary under a  Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Deployment Office will be opening an initial funding opportunity for collaboratives to develop new approaches and frameworks for system planning, cost recovery, and risk allocation for electricity demand growth.

U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow significantly in the next 5-10+ years, driven by data center expansion and the rise of AI applications, domestic manufacturing growth, and electrification of transport, industry, and buildings. DOE is addressing industry and public concerns about powering this demand growth by leveraging the full set of relevant DOE tools and resources.

The objective of this funding opportunity is to engage a collaborative or multiple collaboratives to develop new approaches and frameworks for system planning, cost recovery, and risk allocation for electricity demand growth, in order to facilitate rapid action to accommodate significant near-term load additions while minimizing or preventing rate increases for residential and small commercial and industrial customers.

A collaborative must include at least one State or public utility commission as lead/primary applicant; at least one grid operator; and at least one large load customer/developer (i.e., data center developers/operators, electrified transportation operators, and energy-intensive manufacturers). Collaboratives may also include additional States, public utilities commissions, grid operators, utilities, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and other large load customers. GDO is seeking collaboratives that reflect a diversity of needs and use cases relating to load growth around the country, including (but not limited to) both rural and urban environments. Collaboratives would ideally include organizations at a variety of scales (i.e., large and small) and with a variety of experience with participation in government programs.

Awarded collaborative(s) will provide technical support for analyzing electricity demand growth and planning for generation and grid modernization investments to ensure reliable, affordable service. The collaborative(s) will assist with forecasting demand growth (including sources, locations, scale, and characteristics), identifying opportunities to meet new loads (including demand flexibility in new and existing loads, planning approaches for new generation, interconnection options, transmission expansion, and key grid infrastructure upgrades). The collaboratives may also design new approaches to site identification, cost allocation, and cost recovery structures to enable rapid arrival at load/grid operator agreements in support of infrastructure development.

ConnectWerx, in partnership with DOE, will coordinate the collection of applications, selection of partnership performers, negotiation of Business to Business (B2B) Agreements, and administer funds. DOE expects to make up to 5 awards totaling up to approximately $28.9 million with this initiative.

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