Thursday, Apr 11 2013 4:18PM
USDA funding will help improve electric services in rural locations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide roughly $280 million in funding for rural electric infrastructure projects in 13 states in the coming years.
The agency said that funding will help strengthen rural economies by enabling communities to complete more than 1,900 miles of new or improved electric lines. In addition, more than $6 million will go toward smart grid projects that will increases access to information to help locales better manage electricity use. For example, the agency will provide more than $51 million to the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association of Colorado to upgrade existing generation and transmission companies.
"The partnership between USDA and rural electric utilities helps to improve service to customers and has made it easier for rural businesses to expand and create jobs," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "As part of President Obama's plan to improve the rural economy, we will continue to fund projects that increase system reliability. We also promote the expansion of 'smart grid' technology which cuts peak demands and improves system reliability."
The expansion of electric services across the country is expected to boost small businesses and individual access to information, both of which may help improve rural community development. In addition to extending electric systems upgrades, many federal agencies are also working to expand broadband services as well.
For more information, check out this resource: The U.S. Department of Agriculture