Last month, the Power Up Harris County Campaign—a coalition of groups that includes two Veatch grantees, the Texas Organizing Project and the Workers Defense Project, as members—announced it was one of 60 grantees to receive funding through the federal Solar for All program.
The $250 million grant will help establish publicly owned “microgrids” supported by solar energy systems across low-income and minority communities in Harris County, which includes Houston, the state’s largest city. The coalition received one of the largest amounts awarded in the program, and the largest granted in the South.
This funding arrives not a moment too soon for Texas, a state grappling with an increasingly unreliable power grid amidst the accelerating threats of climate change and severe weather conditions. In 2021, the state’s power grid failed following a powerful winter storm that left millions without electricity for days. In 2023, Texas experienced its second hottest summer on record, which continually pushed the state’s grid to the brink of blackouts. And in May and July, back to back storms devastated the Houston area.
In a blog post, Lizeth Chacón, Executive Director of Workers Defense Project, wrote about the significance of the funding. “This award is a game-changer for the Harris County community because it gives millions of people peace of mind through more affordable power costs while also increasing power reliability,” she wrote. “Through this grant, Houstonians—including our vulnerable communities—will finally rest assured that a reliable power grid and lower energy costs are possible; and, it will come through building our own infrastructure.”
Read more about the Power Up Harris County campaign—a coalition of local labor and community organizations working to build an infrastructure for clean, reliable, and affordable energy while creating good paying union jobs—on their website here.