USDA to Invest $250 million for Rural Smart Grids

In yet another sign of the Obama Administration’s commitment to renewable energy, energy efficiency and electric grid modernization, the USDA has announced that it will invest $250 million to modernize rural America’s electric grid with smart grid technology.

The funding will be managed by the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, and will cover a 12-month period. The Rural Utilities Service, or RUS, has previous experience with electric grid modernization in America’s rural areas. Just last year the RUS administered $7.1 billion in loans for grid improvements. The USDA’s press release provides more details on the funding, but below you will find a list of states and the projects selected for funding.

Indiana

• Jasper County Rural Electric Membership Corporation — $4,000,000 will be used to build 17 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 19 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $15,000 will be used for advanced meter deployment.

Kansas

• Nemaha-Marshall Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. — $7,640,000 will be used to build 35 miles of new distribution line and make other system improvements. $976,000 will be used for advanced meter deployment.

Kentucky

• Blue Grass Energy Cooperative Corporation — $37,992,000 will be used to build 152 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 171 miles of distribution line, and make other system improvements. $2.7 million will be used for advanced meter deployment.

Montana

• Tongue River Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $7,694,000 will be used to build 21 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 35 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. The loan also includes $660,000 for advanced meter deployment.

North Carolina and Tennessee

• French Broad Electric Membership Corporation — $20,000,000 will be used to build 163 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 125 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $2.4 million will be used for smart grid technology for advanced meter deployment.

North Dakota

• KEM Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $6,000,000 will be used to build 17 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 118 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $50,460 will be used for advanced meter deployment.
• Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. — $8,183,000 will be used to build 28 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 185 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $8,100 will be used for advanced meter deployment.

Virginia and West Virginia

• Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative — $4,400,000 will be used to build 81 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 47 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $563,600 will be used for smart grid technology such as advanced meter deployment.

Washington

• Benton Rural Electric Association — $10,167,000 will be used to build 32 miles of new distribution line, and make other system improvements.

Find out more by reading the press release at the USDA site.

Original post