Idaho awarded $21 million for hydroelectric projects

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho is getting $21-million for 14 of its hydroelectric projects across the state.

It is part of a $430-million in federal funding going to hydropower facilities across the country.

The money will be used for upgrades to hydropower facilities.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm spoke to Local News 8 Monday and explained about the competitive process to get funding. “

“So they are really specific about targeting the projects where they know they have the greatest vulnerabilities and can use the funding from the Federal Government to shore it up. So bravo to to Idaho in the whole hydroelectric community, if you will, for being so excellent at planning and asking,” Granholm said.

The money will be used for upgrades to hydropower facilities of all sizes.

"This announcement, the investment in hydropower is the largest that's ever been done in the history of the United States across the country. But we wanted to make sure that every pocket of America that had hydropower was able to benefit. So, there's in this large announcement, 20% are for smaller facilities," Granholm said.

Some of the projects getting funding are close to home, including the city of Idaho Falls.

The city will get more than 237-thousand dollars for the upper development of the Idaho Falls hydroelectric project