Padilla bill would strengthen grid stability and prevent outages from California wildfires

(Washington D.C.) — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation that would reauthorize the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program at the Department of Energy to help strengthen electric grid infrastructure against extreme weather.

“As we continue to grapple with threats to the electric grid from extreme weather, investing in projects to improve the flexibility and resiliency of the power system is crucial,” said Senator Padilla. “The GRIP program is a major success, driving improvements and innovation to make the electric grid more secure and efficient. Our bipartisan effort will continue to help us keep the lights on and keep costs down for future generations.”

“Texas is no stranger to extreme weather events, and it’s imperative that we have the infrastructure capable of withstanding the gamut of everything from freezing cold temperatures to sweltering heat waves, flooding, and devastating wildfires,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the grid resilience program Senator Padilla and I created, which is essential to preventing outages and ensuring Texans can depend on the power they need to weather any storm.”

When the Cornyn-Padilla Preventing Outages With Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide (POWER ON) Act was introduced, California faced some of the largest, record-breaking wildfires in state history. Six of the top 10 most destructive fires in California occurred in the past three years and at least three of those fires were triggered by utility equipment. Additionally, from 2013 to the end of 2019, California experienced over 57,000 wildfires and the three large energy companies in the state conducted 33 public safety power shutoffs. Millions of Californians were left without power for days on end, leaving communities at risk.

The legislation was signed into law by President Biden in 2021 as part of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with $5 billion authorized over five years to help prevent blackouts, shutoffs, and utility-caused wildfires. The law established the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program at the DOE to provide critical resources to help states weatherize electric grids.

Padilla has been a consistent and vocal advocate for the need to strengthen our electrical grid. Last year, Padilla led California lawmakers in denouncing the DOE’s cuts of $7.6 billion in critical grants for energy projects across California and the country. DOE’s list of cuts includes 79 projects and over $3.3 billion in investment across California, with over $2 billion in projects eliminated from Republican-represented districts in California. In 2024, Padilla announced $600 million in federal funding for California to upgrade 100 miles of transmission lines to improve the state’s grid reliability and deliver clean, affordable electricity faster.