Rep. Bera Condemns Trump Administration’s Cancellation of $50 Million Smart Grid Grant for Sacramento Municipal Utility District

Sacramento, CA — Today, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) condemned the Trump Administration’s revocation of a $50 million federal grant awarded to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) for its Connected Clean PowerCity® project, a major initiative to modernize the electric grid and help the Sacramento region reach zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Funded through the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program in 2023, the grant aimed to reduce outages, empower families to manage their energy use, and build a cleaner, more reliable energy system. SMUD has received $8 million in reimbursements for work already completed, but the loss of grant funding disrupts the planning and execution of the project. 

“This is a reckless and vindictive decision that punishes Sacramento County families and slows our progress toward a cleaner, more reliable energy future,” said Representative Bera. “This funding was secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize our grid, lower energy costs, and strengthen our resilience in the face of climate change. Pulling the plug now abandons a bipartisan commitment to smart energy policy and puts local jobs, innovation, and community preparedness at risk.”

The cancellation is part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to withhold and cancel clean energy funding from blue states. On October 1, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced the termination of $8 billion in energy projects, specifically targeting 16 Democratic-led states. That same evening, the Department of Energy confirmed it had canceled 321 previously awarded grants. These terminations will increase energy costs, eliminate jobs, and weaken grid reliability across the country.

With the grant now canceled, Sacramento County loses out on federal investments that support: 

• The installation of 200,000 next-generation smart meters across the region;
• The deployment of advanced grid and outage management systems to reduce blackouts during extreme weather;
• The addition of 22,500 intelligent load control devices to help manage demand during emergencies;
• The expansion of fiber optic infrastructure to improve communication and data reliability;
• The partnership with the Wilton Rancheria Tribe of Miwok Indians to support solar, storage, and electrification on Tribal lands.

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NOTE: This release is amended to reflect that the Connected Clean PowerCity® project will continue despite the loss of federal grant funding.