Rural electric cooperative utilities in 10 states will receive a total of 334-million dollars in USDA loans to install smart grid technologies and improve generation and transmission facilities. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says a 21st Century electric grid is essential to the country’s ability to create jobs in the clean energy economy of the future. He says these investments enable consumers and businesses to better manage their use of electricity and help maintain affordable rates. Building transmission infrastructure that employs smart grid technologies – Vilsack continues – will make it easier to add renewable sources of electricity into the grid and improve reliability.

With support for nearly 20-million dollars in Smart Grid technologies included as part of the funding announced Friday – USDA Rural Development moves closer to the Secretary’s goal of funding more than 250-million dollars for Smart Grid technologies.