Rural electric utilities in 18 states are going to receive loan guarantees to make improvements to electric lines, transmission facilities and to reduce peak electric loads by deploying smart grid technologies. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says maintaining and upgrading rural electric systems improves system reliability, creates jobs and supports economic development. He says a significant portion of the funding will go to smart grid technologies – helping consumers lower their electric bills and reducing peak demand for producers.
Secretary Vilsack has a goal of funding more than 250-million dollars for smart grid technologies. Thursday’s announcement included support for nearly 29-million dollars in smart grid projects. The overall investment is more than 420-million dollars in rural electric infrastructure.
Source: NAFB News Service