T’Naus Nieto
The Chronicle-News

As part of the Department of Energy’s local government energy program, Raton Public Service Company in Raton was awarded $2 million to complete phase 2 of a municipally owned utility solar energy initiative and to expand and integrate infrastructure into the existing grid.

The DOE made the announcement last week.

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to ensuring that every community in the country is able to take advantage of the benefits of the clean energy economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in a DOE press release.

According to the DOE, Raton’s award was one of 12 local governments and tribes that received funding, totally over $31 million, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda with funding through the Communities Sparking Investments in Transformative Energy (C-SITE) funding opportunity.

Said Granholm, “By investing in energy projects in smaller, disadvantaged, and energy transition communities, these grants will reduce energy costs, increase resilience and create jobs and economic opportunity in places that have historically been left behind by federal programs.”

The DOE said, “Selected communities are investing clean energy approaches and technology areas, including building efficiency and electrification, clean transportation, energy infrastructure upgrades, microgrid development and deployment, renewable energy, and workforce development.”