Cantwell, Capito File Bill for Grants to Deploy Middle-Mile on Electric Grid
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., filed the Grant to Rapidly Invest and Deploy (Grid) Broadband Act Wednesday in a bid to incentivize building a nationwide middle-mile broadband backbone…
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along the existing U.S. electricity grid. The measure would direct NTIA to issue competitive cost-shared federal grants to encourage broadband buildout on the electric grid. It would require grant recipients to use the funding to improve cybersecurity and smart grid technology on their electrical grid infrastructure, and increase middle-mile capacity. "It’s a triple win solution for consumers because it leverages existing rights-of-way and private sector ingenuity and investment to deliver cleaner electricity, stronger cybersecurity, and more accessible broadband services," Cantwell said in a statement. Her office cited support from the Edison Electric Institute, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Public Knowledge, Utilities Technology Council, Washington Public Utility Districts Association and Wireless ISP Association.