(Bismarck, ND) — The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a two-point-two-billion-dollar grant for electrical grid improvements in 18 states, including North Dakota. Seven-hundred-million dollars will to go the Montana Department of Commerce, which will use the money to build a 415-mile-long high-voltage transmission line across Montana and North Dakota. It will be called the North Plains Connector, and will provide more efficient transmission of electricity across both states, along with more protection against power disruptions, including those caused by severe weather.