U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Delivers Broadband Grant to Forked Deer Electric Cooperative
Posted on Oct 28, 2019
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently delivered a $2.8 million grant to Forked Deer Electric Cooperative for rural broadband development. The grant is part of the ReConnect program, which began in 2018 with a $600 million budget to be disbursed for rural broadband in 2019.
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Minnesota Coop Receives USDA Funding to Improve Electric Systems
Posted on Oct 24, 2019
Meeker Cooperative Light and Power Association (Meeker) will use a $7.1 million loan to install a fiber backbone that will enable two-way communications between 14 substations and the coop’s headquarters. The funds are a part of the $22 million Meeker received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Electric Loan Program to improve its distribution system.
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DOE Announces Funding to Advance Wind Energy
Posted on Oct 24, 2019
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is one of 13 projects to receive a total of $28 million to advance wind energy nationwide.
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Majority of House Members Co-sponsor RURAL Act
Posted on Oct 17, 2019
A majority of the members of the House of Representatives are co-sponsoring the RURAL Act, which is a bill addressing electric cooperatives’ tax-exempt status.
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House Lawmakers Co-sponsor Bill to Solve Unintended Tax Consequence Problem
Posted on Oct 14, 2019
A bipartisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives recently co-sponsored legislation to fix an unintended consequence for electric cooperatives from the 2017 federal tax law changes. Under the current federal tax laws that were adopted in 2017, coops that receive federal, state or local government grants are at risk of losing their tax-exempt status. The RURAL Act aims to revert this unintended tax impact on electric coops.
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USDA Invests in Rural Electric Infrastructure
Posted on Oct 11, 2019
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will invest $251 million to upgrade rural electric systems in 13 states. The investment includes funding to finance smart grid technologies that improve system operations and monitor grid security, as well as funding to help build and improve 1,971 miles of line to improve electric reliability in rural areas.
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Coop CEO Advocates to Expand Rural Broadband by Passing RURAL Act
Posted on Oct 7, 2019
Tim Johnson, CEO of Otsego Electric Cooperative, recently testified before a congressional committee with respect to coops’ tax-exempt status under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Johnson advocated that Congress fix the federal tax code so that not-for-profit cooperatives would no longer lose their tax-exempt status by taking federal, state or local grants to bring broadband service to rural residents. Johnson also urged lawmakers to pass the RURAL Act, a bipartisan bill that would allow coops to once again accept government grants without risking their tax status.
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North Carolina Cooperatives Invest $1 Million in Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Posted on Sep 30, 2019
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are investing $1 million to expand electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state. The cooperatives’ investment is being provided through North Carolina Electric Membership Corp., the state’s generation and transmission cooperative. The funding will be used to install 21 charging stations by the end of this year.
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Broadband Interest Continues to Broaden in Mississippi Coops
Posted on Sep 30, 2019
North East Mississippi Electric Power Association plans to offer high-speed fiber optic service to all of its customers in five counties. Directors have approved the effort, and members will vote on the issue in December. The expansion marks at least the fifth Mississippi coop planning broadband service.
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Arkansas Cooperative Part of Team Launching Solar + Storage Facility
Posted on Sep 24, 2019
Ozarks Electric Cooperative, together with the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas and Today’s Power Inc., launched a new solar and energy storage facility last week. The facility boasts 10 MW of solar capacity and 24 MWh of battery storage. The project expects to save the city $180,000 per year and aid the city’s pursuit of clean energy goals.
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Project Tundra Awarded $9.8 Million for Research and Development
Posted on Sep 18, 2019
The U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will provide $9.8 million for Front-End Engineering and Design work for Project Tundra and the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota to continue leading the Plains Carbon Dioxide Reduction Partnership. Project Tundra seeks to build a carbon-capture unit at Minnkota Power Cooperative’s existing Milton R. Young Station near Center, North Dakota.
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NRECA Voices Support for Repeal of Waters of the U.S. Rule
Posted on Sep 17, 2019
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson issued a statement regarding the repeal of the Waters of the U.S. rule. Matheson praised the repeal for creating clarity in a patchwork regulatory environment and for its benefits for electric cooperatives building and maintaining key infrastructure.
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Cooperatives Decide to Join Southwest Power Pool Market
Posted on Sep 10, 2019
Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced their decision to join Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) market. When SPP launches the WEIS in February 2021, it will become the market administrator for these and potentially other electric utilities in the west.
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Mississippi Coops Approve Retail Broadband Plans
Posted on Sep 5, 2019
The boards of four Mississippi coops have approved plans for the coops to enter the retail broadband space following Mississippi’s enactment of the Mississippi Broadband Enabling Act.
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