DOVER, Del., December 13, 2024 – Maryland is one of 44 states included in a $6.3 billion U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investment announced earlier this week to help expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water, and create good-paying jobs in rural and Tribal communities.
Energy System Improvements. A Virginia and Maryland partnership cooperative was awarded $44.3 million of the $5.7 billion provided through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to help build and improve electric infrastructure and smart-grid technologies. A & N Electric Cooperative received $44.3 million to connect 1,486 consumers and build and improve 224 miles of line with $4.9 million allocated for smart grid technologies. This co-op is headquartered in Accomack County and provides service to approximately 37,000 consumers over 2,748 miles on the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula which includes Smith Island in Maryland.
“Supporting island communities is one of the most impactful roles we serve at USDA Rural Development. Smart grids take rural electrification to the next level by better matching supply and demand in real time while minimizing costs for customers and maintaining long term stability and reliability,” said Andrew Dinsmore, USDA Rural Development Delaware and Maryland State Director. “That reliability not only improves local quality of life but also enhances economic opportunities in our rural Maryland communities.”
The awards USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced will be used to finance more than 200 projects that will strengthen the nation’s infrastructure in rural Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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.
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