World Courant
President Joe Biden will journey to areas of Florida ravaged by back-to-back hurricanes on Sunday and announce federal funding for initiatives to strengthen the facility grid, the White Home mentioned.
Biden will tour St. Petersburg, one of many hardest-hit Florida cities by Hurricane Milton final week, and unveil $612 million for six Division of Power initiatives within the Southeast.
A Florida Nationwide Guard truck goes out to assist residents trapped of their houses as water rises after Hurricane Milton flooded the Anclote River in New Port Richey, Florida, on Oct. 12, 2024.
Mike Carlson/AP
Two of the initiatives are targeted on Florida and can present a mixed $94 million in federal funds, in line with the White Home.
Gainesville Regional Utilities will use the funding to assist mitigate the impacts of more and more excessive climate in north-central Florida, “by means of storm hardening, but in addition by means of quicker restoration by means of the deployment of self-healing units and instruments that allow extra environment friendly and correct dispatch of area operations will make doable.” groups throughout outages,” the White Home mentioned in an announcement.
Switched Supply, a personal utility expertise developer, will associate with Florida Energy and Mild to deploy Section-EQ, which can “optimize vitality circulation in distribution circuits, unlocking greater than 200 MW of system capability and enhancing reliability on circuits serving communities these most inclined to extended outages,” the White Home mentioned.
A drone shot reveals destroyed seaside houses after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Manasota Key, Florida, on October 11, 2024.
Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters
“These investments are a part of the President’s dedication to make long-term investments that defend, enhance and improve our nation’s electrical grid, particularly within the face of utmost climate occasions,” the White Home mentioned in an announcement.
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday night as a Class 3 storm. At the very least 16 folks died within the storm and greater than one million persons are nonetheless with out energy.
Biden has spoken with quite a few state and native officers, together with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who he mentioned has been “very cooperative.” When requested if he would meet with DeSantis on Sunday, Biden mentioned sure, so long as the governor was accessible.
Biden publicizes greater than $600 million in hurricane resiliency initiatives in Florida
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