Investment of $7.3 Billion to Help Further Strengthen Rural Electrification

Significant funding support for rural electrification was recently announced as part of the largest investment of its kind since the Rural Electrification Act was signed into law in 1936 as part of the New Deal.

President Biden and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced over $7.3 billion in funding to help rural electric cooperatives build clean energy for rural communities through the Empowering Rural America program. The funding will create over 10 gigawatts of clean energy, reducing pollution by the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road annually.

These projects will lower energy costs, create thousands of jobs, and improve the reliability of the electric grid for about 5 million households in 23 states. The clean energy sources include wind, solar, nuclear, and hydropower, along with battery storage to make the grid more reliable.

Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West

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