RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 10, 2024 – Virginia is one of 44 states included in a $6.3 billion U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investment announced today 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. Virginia electric cooperatives were awarded more than $473 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 in 23 states.
- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative received $293 million to build and improve 880 miles of line, connecting more than 11,000 consumers. Nearly $160 million of this funding will be used for smart grid technologies.
- Central Virginia Electric Cooperative Corporation received $70 million to connect 3,096 consumers and build and improve 527 miles of line. More than half of those funds ($36.6 million) were obligated for smart grid technologies.
- Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative received $66 million to connect 3,370 consumers and build 122 miles of line. The co-op provides service to nearly 99,500 accounts over 8,009 miles of line in 10 counties and three independent cities in western Virginia.
- 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 lower end of the Delmarva Peninsula to include the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Smith Island in Maryland.
The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (NRUCFC), headquartered in the commonwealth, also received $450 million to finance rural electric and telecommunications projects nationwide. The member owned nonprofit makes loans to help rural electric members acquire, construct, and operate electric distribution, generation, transmission and related facilities, and finances rural telecommunications members and their affiliates.
“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 Perry Hickman, USDA Rural Development (RD) Virginia State Director. “That reliability not only improves local quality of life but also enhances economic opportunities in our smallest towns. Rural cooperatives are on the front lines of this team effort to invest in the infrastructure that helps bring more jobs to remote areas of the state.”
Rural Water Infrastructure Upgrades. Two Virginia projects are included in the nearly $642 million offered through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants and Solid Waste Management Grants programs to help expand access to clean and reliable drinking water, sanitary waste disposal, and storm water drainage for people in 41 states. USDA RD obligated:
- A combination of loan and grant funds totaling $5.5 million to help the Bland County Service Authority finance upgrades to the Bastian Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is currently operating at around 50 percent capacity. Planned system improvements, along with supervisory control and data acquisition upgrades, will enhance services provided to 236 existing customers and correct an existing health hazard from discharges into Wolf Creek.
- A $350,000 loan to provide additional financing for construction of a new well in the town of Urbanna. Two wells in the current water system must be replaced to sever a hydraulic connection between multiple aquifers. The new pump, piping, controls, and site improvements will facilitate deactivation of the structure so the applicant can continue providing clean, safe water to more than 600 residential and commercial customers located within and adjacent to this small community.
The awards USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today 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.