Rural Utilities Receive USDA Funding

| 10/19/2012

A few rural electric cooperatives in North Dakota will receive funding from the USDA for improvements to the electric grid. The funds include $3.6 million in Rural Utilities Service loans for smart grid technologies.

"USDA is proud to partner with our rural electric cooperatives to improve system services for businesses and residential consumers," said USDA Rural Development State Director Jasper Schneider. "Today`s announcement includes loans for five projects that will help utilities modernize their operations and America`s electric grid."

According to the USDA, the following utilities will receive funding:

- Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative (Williston): $54,000,000. Funds will be used in North Dakota and Montana to build and improve 520 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements. The loan amount includes $659,800 in smart grid projects.

- Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. (Grand Forks): $308,700,000. Funds will be used in North Dakota and Minnesota to build 260 miles of transmission line. The loan amount includes $2,800,000 in smart grid projects.

- Central Power Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Minot): $5,025,000. Funds will be used for a new facility.

- McLean Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Garrison): $9,750,000. Funds will be used to build and improve 106 miles of distribution line, and make other system improvements. The loan includes $169,600 in smart grid projects.

- Northern Plains Electric Cooperative (Cando): $25,214,000. Funds will be used to build and improve 320 miles of distribution line, and make other system improvements. The loan amount includes $2,422,000 in smart grid projects.

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