SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) \u2014 As electric vehicles, mobile devices and artificial intelligence data centers drive up electricity demand, the Carolinas are getting a major federal investment aimed at preparing the region\u2019s power grid for the future.<\/p>\n
The National Science Foundation has awarded North and South Carolina $15 million to test and develop new technology designed to improve and modernize the existing energy grid system across the two states. That investment could grow to as much as $160 million over a ten-year period.<\/p>\n
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said the funding will help the region keep pace with growth and innovation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award will help strengthen our ability to meet future demand, support economic opportunity and ensure the Carolinas remain leaders in innovation and job creation,\u201d McMaster said.<\/p>\n
The project is part of a broader national effort focused on building regional \u201cengines\u201d to strengthen infrastructure and speed the move from research to real-world solutions. Catherine Hayes, director of industry solutions at the South Carolina Research Authority, said SCRA and its partners were one of 12 groups selected nationwide.<\/p>\n
Hayes said SCRA will lead work in translating innovation into commercialization, moving hardware and software from research institutions and startups into products that can be adopted by utilities and manufacturers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re on the leadership team for both translation of innovation to commercialization, which means moving a product\u2026from research, academic institutions, from start-ups, to full adoption by the utilities and manufacturers,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
The grid modernization initiative is a collaborative effort involving SCRA, utilities and energy providers including Duke Energy, Dominion and Santee Cooper, along with technical schools such as Trident Technical College and York Technical College and other industry leaders.<\/p>\n
Emily Tyner, corporate communications manager for Santee Cooper, said the state\u2019s rapid growth makes grid upgrades a priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, so we\u2019re also keenly invested in grid modernization,\u201d Tyner said. \u201cSo we\u2019re happy to be part of a team that\u2019s working on this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leaders involved in the effort say the work is meant to improve reliability and efficiency while using existing infrastructure more effectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo never before have we seen this kind of energy demand across the United States, but also in the Carolinas, largely driven from expanding industry, population growth and AI data centers,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cSo this is an opportunity to use existing infrastructure, not have to invest in new infrastructure, and to try to optimize what we already have.\u201d<\/p>\n
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