The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Acting State Director for Rural Development in Minnesota Cynthia Morales announced $42.7 million in rural electric investments to build or improve electric infrastructure in 17 counties across southern Minnesota.
“Providing critical financial assistance for rural families and community infrastructure provides continued opportunities for growth,” said Morales. “These Rural Development investments will bring affordable electric power to schools, community facilities and medical institutions – improving their ability to provide these essential public services as well as the quality of life for more than 16,000 rural residents.”
USDA is investing in 11 projects nationwide through the Electric Loan Program. This funding will benefit 460,000 rural residents and businesses in Arizona, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia. Several of the loans will help expand smart grid technologies, which can be a catalyst for broadband and other telecommunications services in unserved and underserved rural areas.
Below are some examples of how the funds will be used:
Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light & Power will use a $22.8 million loan to connect 132 consumers and build and improve 137 miles of line. This loan includes $1.3 million in smart grid technologies. Headquartered in Montevideo, Minnesota Valley serves 5,282 customers over 3,263 miles of line in eight counties in southwestern Minnesota.
Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric will use a $19.9 million loan to connect 141 consumers and build and improve 71 miles of line. This loan includes $2.5 million in smart grid technologies. Headquartered in Owatonna, Steele-Waseca serves more than 11,000 customers through 2,022 miles of line in nine counties in southeast Minnesota.
USDA’s Electric Loan Program helps finance wind, solar and natural gas plants, as well as improvements to produce clean energy from coal-fired plants. Local utilities also use the loans to invest in infrastructure to deliver affordable power to millions of residential, commercial and agricultural consumers. ■
A hyperactive weather pattern will bring an expansive low pressure system across mainland U.S., resulting in widespread impactful weather to progress from west to east across the country through the next few days.