Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kentucky State Director Hilda Legg today announced a $347,049,000 investment to improve electric infrastructure across much of Kentucky.
East Kentucky Power Cooperative will use the guaranteed loan investment to make power generation system improvements to enhance system reliability.
“Rural Development has been helping lights come on in rural America since the 1930’s,” said Legg. “Electricity, like clean drinking water, is all too often taken for granted, and thanks to strong partnerships with electric cooperatives like East Kentucky Power, investments like this will help ensure rural Kentucky has reliable power for years to come.”
Eastern Kentucky Power generates wholesale electricity and provides bulk transmission services to 16 distribution member cooperatives, which in turn serve the power needs of approximately 595,016 meters and 541,382 member-consumers in the eastern two-thirds of Kentucky. Its member consumers are located in 89 of Kentucky's 120 counties (Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bath, Bell, Boone, Bourbon, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hardin, Harlan, Harrison, Hart, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Trimble, Washington, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe and Woodford).
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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 facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.