The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will invest $317 million to strengthen the rural electric grid in Florida and ensure 32,000 people have access to reliable electricity.
Lakeisha Hood Moїse, Florida state director for USDA Rural Development, made the announcement.
“This announcement reinforces the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to helping create a path toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. By investing in renewable energy technologies and modern infrastructure, we will foster lasting economic prosperity that benefits everyone,” said Hood Moїse. “It also fulfills the President’s promise to strengthen energy security in America’s rural areas.”
This investment comes from the USDA’s Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program. The program provides secured loans and loan guarantees to help rural cooperatives and utilities build and improve rural electric infrastructure and increase the reliability and security of the electric grid.
In Central Florida, Sumter Electric Cooperative will use the $317 million to build and improve over 1,000 miles of power lines and connect 32,000 customers to reliable electricity. Nearly $5 million of this investment will help the cooperative advance its smart grid technologies and install 38.4 miles of fiber lines.
Sumter Electric Coop is headquartered in Sumterville, Florida, and provides electricity to an average of 226,501 consumers across 13,330 miles of distribution lines in Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, and Sumter counties.
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