The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality State Energy Office and Four County Electric Membership Corporation began work on a $6.3 million electric grid resilience project in Magnolia, North Carolina, on May 14. The initiative aims to improve reliability, storm resilience, and long-term affordability for the cooperative’s members in Eastern North Carolina.
The project is important because it addresses the increasing frequency of severe weather events that threaten the region’s power infrastructure. By modernizing aging transmission lines and replacing wooden poles with engineered steel structures, officials say the upgrades will help ensure fewer and shorter power outages for residents.
“As Eastern NC faces more frequent and extreme weather, future-proofing the electric grid is critical,” said Julie Woosley, director of the State Energy Office. “Since 2025, DEQ has leveraged nearly $30 million in federal, state and local funds to make grid resilience investments, including the project we broke ground on today. These investments will harden the system, enhance reliability and ensure North Carolinians experience fewer and shorter power outages.” Last year, DEQ awarded Four County EMC $2.9 million toward this effort through a U.S. Department of Energy grant program targeting electric grid resilience for states and tribes.
Project STEEL—Strengthening Transmission Efficiency and Enhancing Lifespan—will replace transmission infrastructure originally built in 1968 with stronger materials designed to withstand severe weather conditions better than before. Additional upgrades include larger conductors to boost capacity as well as system design improvements aimed at supporting future energy demands; new components are expected to last over 75 years.
Don Gatton, CEO of Four County EMC said: “At Four County EMC, our responsibility is to serve our members well — not just today, but for future generations… This investment reflects our commitment to being wise stewards of our members’ resources by strengthening the electric system families, farms and businesses depend on every day while also leveraging critical grant funding to reduce costs for the people we serve.” He added: “This project is not simply about replacing infrastructure—it is about preparing the electric grid for the future while preserving the cooperative’s mission and State’s goal of providing affordable reliable service.”
Officials say Project STEEL demonstrates how collaboration between local cooperatives like Four County EMC—which serves more than 36,000 members across several counties—and state agencies can modernize critical rural infrastructure while protecting affordability.