(The Center Square) - The U.S. Department of Energy will provide Kansas with $13.3 million to update its electrical grid infrastructure.

The funding comes from the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program. The Kansas Corporation Commission will administer the funding, which it will use to modernize the state's power grid. The state also wants to use the money to protect the power grid against natural disasters while "advancing projects that attract, train, and retain a skilled Kansas workforce," according to a press release from Governor Laura Kelly's office.

“Our power grid is vital to the health and well-being of Kansans,” Kelly said in the release. “This investment provides us the opportunity to continue making progress on electrical projects related to emergency preparedness and projects that modernize and strengthen our power grid.” 

U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, said the funding will help Kansas residents access affordable energy.

“By modernizing our electric grid, we are creating good-paying jobs and ensuring folks across Kansas have access to clean, affordable electricity, even during some of the extreme weather events we’ve seen lately,” Davids said in the release. “I’m proud to have helped bring these investments home to Kansas through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which continues to make a positive impact on the lives of Kansas families and businesses.”  

Nine states and three tribal nations received a combined $207.6 million in grants from this third round of funding.  

Further information about the Grid Resilience State/Tribal Formula Grant program is available here.