Ohio's Firelands Electric Cooperative Receives $5.58 million USDA loan

   U.S. Department of Agriculture Ohio Rural Development State Director Dave Hall today announced Huron County-based Firelands Electric Cooperative is among 14 recipients nationwide receiving loan funds for infrastructure improvement.
   “A brilliant example of the power of member-owned utilities, Firelands cooperative has been around since 1936 – the earliest days of the great rural electrification enterprise,” said Hall. “We’re pleased to know this $5.58 million loan will help finance the construction of Firelands’ modern headquarters in the Village of New London. This investment speaks directly to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s mandate to ‘Do Right and Feed Everyone,’ as robust support of rural infrastructure is the centerpiece of rural prosperity, productivity, and jobs."
   Firelands serves more than 9,000 rural electric consumers across nearly a thousand miles of line in Ashland, Huron, Lorain, and Richland counties.
   Hall dovetailed today’s announcement with a broader national release by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in which he announced USDA is investing $276 million in rural electric infrastructure to improve system efficiency and reliability.
   “Investing in our nation’s electric infrastructure is fundamental for rural economic growth,” Secretary Perdue said. “USDA’s longstanding partnerships with rural electric cooperatives help ensure that rural areas have affordable, reliable electric service. These investments also increase efficiency and productivity for businesses and residents, and support the quality of life in rural America.”
   USDA’s investment will build or improve more than 1,700 miles of line meet current and future needs of rural businesses and residents. It also supports $65 million in smart grid technologies to help rural electric utilities reduce outages and integrate new systems. Smart grid includes technological enhancements such as metering, substation automation, computer applications, two-way communications and geospatial information systems.
   In addition to Ohio, investments are being made in Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and Virginia. The loan guarantees are being provided through USDA Rural Development’s Electric Program, which is the successor to the Rural Electrification Administration.
   USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.