RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 4, 2024 – A Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative smart grid project is included in 118 new initiatives the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today to help rural and Tribal communities address immediate needs and create sustainable economic growth across 14 states and Puerto Rico.
The co-op currently provides service to about 7,400 consumers through 1,311 miles of line in parts of six counties in western Virginia and one county in West Virginia. The $10.3 million in Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program funding will be used to connect an additional 341 customers and build and improve 68 miles of line.
“We have a longstanding relationship with the Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative, investing about $12 million over the last five years to start building out its fiber optic cable network to better serve the people of this rural area,” said Perry Hickman, USDA Rural Development Virginia State Director. “About 50 percent of its mountainous service territory is National Forest Service land, so this project will help us continue to break down barriers to resources and services.”
The co-op serves Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Montgomery and Roanoke counties as well as Monroe County in West Virginia. More than $5 million in funding will be allocated for broader implementation of smart grid technologies with 74.1 miles of backbone fiber to be installed in Virginia.
This project is part of a larger investment of over $194 million that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced to support Rural Partners Network (RPN) communities and neighboring areas. RPN is an all-of-government collaboration of 25 federal agencies and regional commissions launched in 2022 to ensure that people in historically underserved rural and Tribal communities received their fair share of federal funding.
Virginia is one of four states not included in this network to receive funding to benefit its rural residents. The majority of the awards will support RPN communities in Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ or contact the Virginia Rural Development state office. Additional information on how and where these investments are impacting rural America is available on the Rural Data Gateway.