The USDA announced this week the awarding of $485 million in funding to upgrade rural electric systems and reduce energy costs.
None of the funding is going to rural electric systems in Oklahoma. But $72 million is going to the Central Electric Power Cooperative in Missouri. The Cooperative serves 187,000 residential and business consumers across 22,000 square miles in 28 counties in central Missouri.
More than $31 million in funding is going to the Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative Inc. It has 21,300 consumers and the money will be used to improve or build nearly 1,600 miles of line.
The Dairyland Power Cooperative serving 263,000 consumers in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin is getting nearly $85 million. Dairyland provides wholesale electric service to 24 distribution members and 17 municipalities.
The Syncarpha Eagle Nest 1 in New Mexico is receiving $1.2 million to finance a 1.3 megawatt solar farm in the village of Eagle Nest in Colfax County.
Other funds are going to electric cooperatives in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota and South Dakota.
