Governor Tim Walz today highlighted funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will build clean energy for rural communities across Minnesota. The Empowering Rural America Program will allocate $7.3 billion to rural electric cooperatives, including four Minnesota service providers, helping rural Minnesotans transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. 

“The expansion of green infrastructure will reduce the impacts of climate change while delivering more affordable electricity for Minnesotans,” said Governor Tim Walz. “The Empowering Rural America Program grant is helping us build resilient communities, ensuring a smooth transition to clean energy while strengthening energy security, keeping electricity costs low, and creating good-paying jobs.” 

The 16 USDA selectees announced last week encompass about 5 million households across 23 states, representing 20% of the nation’s rural households, farms, businesses and schools and include four Minnesota service providers. 

The $7.3 billion in financing, which is estimated to: 

• Leverage private investments of more than $29 billion 
• Build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country 
• Reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year   

“With this federal funding, Minnesota’s rural electric cooperatives will be able to deliver more affordable, reliable, safer and cleaner energy for our rural communities,” said Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold. “This investment benefits all Minnesotans, by building our state’s clean energy economy, creating new jobs and new infrastructure, and transitioning our state to a clean energy future.”  

The four electric cooperatives providing service in Minnesota include: 

• Basic Electric Power Cooperative, with service territory in southwest Minnesota 
• Dairyland Power Cooperative, with service territory in southeast Minnesota 
• Great River Energy, with service territory encompassing northeast, central and southern Minnesota 
• Minnkota Power Cooperative, with service territory in northwest Minnesota  

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MEDIA CONTACT:   

Mo Schriner
Department of Commerce
Mo.Schriner@state.mn.us