Los Alamos County staff told the Board of Public Utilities on Oct. 22 that they will apply for a New Mexico grid resiliency grant to rebuild the EA‑4 overhead feeder line and that the board should forward that application to county council for consideration.

Presenter Dennis Astley (county staff) said the EA‑4 line—an older overhead line that runs from the Pajarito Cliff site through multiple canyons to reach Wahe and Rendija Canyons—is in poor condition and has been identified by the utility as needing replacement. The line serves the county wastewater treatment plant, the Guaje wellfields and an emergency backup connection to North Mesa, and staff estimated construction costs in excess of $3,000,000.

Astley told the board the application aligns with the county climate action and electrification plans and that San Ildefonso Pueblo is preparing a related application to upgrade lines in order to carry renewable generation (potentially geothermal) that could sell power to the county. He said county staff edited the grant materials to show coordination with tribal plans.

Grant timing and decision

The presenter said the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources program is accepting rolling applications and that the county planned to submit an application on the first round (the application window opens Nov. 1). Board members supported submittal at the first rolling deadline so the county would be competitive for state funds.

Motion and vote

A board member moved that staff apply for grant funding from New Mexico to support construction of the EA‑4 replacement; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call, 4‑0. The board’s approval authorizes staff to finalize and submit the application and to pursue external funding for a project whose construction cost staff currently estimate at more than $3 million.

Why the project is significant

Staff said replacing EA‑4 would both reduce risk from an aging overhead line and provide distribution capacity needed to support anticipated electrification and renewable‑energy interconnection in county planning. The application also offers a path to coordinate with nearby tribal renewable projects whose own upgrades could enable additional local clean power deliveries to Los Alamos.

Next steps

Staff will finalize the grant application, coordinate with San Ildefonso Pueblo where appropriate, and submit materials for the Nov. 1 rolling deadline; staff indicated additional county matching or financing would be needed to bridge the difference between grant funding and total construction costs.