WESTFIELD – Westfield’s village electric department is one of five agencies to receive $100,000 in funding from state Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as part of the first phase of the NY Prize Community Microgrid Competition.

Microgrids provide critical energy backup for local community networks during extreme weather events or emergencies. The recipients of the $500,000 in funding will now launch feasibility studies before beginning construction of their microgrids. The competition is part of the governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision plan (REV), to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

“These communities are taking an important first step toward securing their energy future,” Cuomo said. “By ensuring a continuous energy supply, medical facilities and communities can more reliably provide critical services and be better protected in the event that disaster strikes. I encourage communities across the state to participate in the NY Prize program to make their energy systems stronger and more resilient.”

The NY Prize Microgrid Competition’s first five awards, $100,000 each, will fund feasibility studies at each location. The other awardees are: The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; electrical utilities associated with the villages of Bath and Sherburne; and the East Hampton area of Long Island.

The village of Westfield Electric Department project would consist of a 2 megawatt or larger combined heat and power facility to supplement power from the electric grid. The village receives power from only one grid line, and if that line fails, the community’s 3,200 residents lose power. With many locals relying on electricity to run space heating, an extended power outage would cause undue hardship to many in the colder months. The department also provides vital power to fire and police departments, water treatment centers, and medical services.

Traditionally, microgrids serve only one user, such as a university or hospital. NY Prize aims to broaden this scope by connecting multiple users, like a series of homes and businesses, through a network that relies on clean, reliable and affordable energy sources. Microgrids expand customer choice, ensure reliability, improve resiliency and preserve the environment.