CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — The US Department of Energy awarded Illinois a $16 million grant to improve the reliability of the state’s power grid.

“As we face extreme weather and natural disasters with increasing frequency, it is crucial that we modernize and fortify our power grid to withstand the climate change crisis,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This investment in our state’s power grid will propel our clean energy objectives, uplift our most disadvantaged communities, and support our clean energy workforce to build a more sustainable Illinois for generations to come.”

The Illinois Finance Authority will initiate a selection process “to identify projects that focus on reliability and resiliency improvements in disadvantaged communities that are at risk from climate change impacts,” according to a press release.

Authorities will award the money to projects including community resilience hubs at schools, fire stations, or other community facilities that provide essential services during extreme weather events; critical facility microgrids that help reduce safety threats during power outages; an emergency equipment share that provides smaller municipal and co-op utilities with access to essential equipment; and community-driven pilot programs.