Today, the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Energy Office (SEO) and Four County Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) broke ground on a $6.3 million electric grid resilience project that will strengthen reliability, improve storm resilience and protect long-term affordability for the cooperative’s members in Eastern NC.
SEO Director Julie Woosley, Four County EMC CEO Don Gatton, U.S. Department of Energy representatives and other stakeholders joined in Magnolia, NC, to celebrate the groundbreaking.
“As Eastern NC faces more frequent and extreme weather, future-proofing the electric grid is critical,” said Woosley. “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 the project as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Resilience of the Electric Grid Formula Grants for States and Tribes. The award reduces the financial burden on Eastern North Carolinians in Four County EMC’s service territory, Bladen, Duplin, Pender, Sampson, Columbus, Onslow and Cumberland counties.
Project Strengthening Transmission Efficiency and Enhancing Lifespan (STEEL) modernizes aging electric lines, which were originally constructed in 1968, by replacing wooden transmission poles with stronger engineered steel structures designed to better withstand severe weather and serve Eastern North Carolinians.
Other key upgrades of Project STEEL include:
- Larger conductors
- Stronger system design to increase storm resilience
- Strengthened infrastructure to enhance capacity and support future energy demands
- Infrastructure with a lifespan expected to exceed 75 years
“At Four County EMC, our responsibility is to serve our members well — not just today, but for future generations,” said Don Gatton, CEO of Four County EMC. “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.”
For Four County EMC members, the project means:
- Reduced financial burden through leveraged grant funding
- Fewer and shorter power outages
- Stronger system performance during severe weather
- Reduced long-term maintenance expenses
- Greater infrastructure durability
Project STEEL addresses transmission infrastructure that is more than 55 years old and built in an era with different demands and challenges. By upgrading the system, DEQ and Four County EMC are strengthening service reliability and protecting long-term affordability.
“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,” said Gatton.
Project STEEL serves as a powerful example of local, state and federal partners working together to modernize critical infrastructure, strengthen rural communities and protect electric affordability.
About DEQ State Energy Office
DEQ’s State Energy Office (SEO) is dedicated to ensuring a sustainable energy future for the residents of North Carolina. SEO provides services and technical expertise on energy efficiency in the public sector, encourages the growth and development of the state’s clean energy economy, and distributes grants to agencies and North Carolinians to increase energy efficiency and reduce utility costs. SEO serves as a principal source of information for these energy areas.
About Four County EMC
Four County EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative that provides service to more than 36,000 members in Bladen, Duplin, Sampson, Pender, Columbus, Cumberland and Onslow counties. Four County EMC is dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity while investing in innovative energy solutions that strengthen the communities it serves.