WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján announced $32.2 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development loans to increase access to affordable energy by building and improving electric infrastructure in Northern and Eastern New Mexico.
Jemez Mountains Electric Coop will receive $18.3 million to build 58 new miles of power line, improve 28 miles of power line, make other system improvements, and invest in smart grid projects over 33 years. Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative Inc. will receive $13.9 million to build 66 new miles of power line, improve 40 miles of power line, make other system improvements, and invest in smart grid projects.
"These important investments will help rural New Mexico electric coops expand and improve the efficiency of their service – and that should translate into lower energy bills for consumers and an economic boost for Northern and Eastern New Mexico," Udall said. “As a member of the Appropriations committee, I will continue working hard to make sure funding for rural development remains a top priority."
“By investing in modernizing our energy infrastructure we can help make our electrical grid more resilient and reliable, while helping families and businesses save money,” said Heinrich. “This federal funding will be used for grid modernization to help keep electric bills low for rural families across New Mexico. I will continue to advocate for investments that strengthen our rural communities.”
“The availability of affordable, reliable energy is critical to rural New Mexico,” said Luján. “These loans will enable electrical coops to expand and improve energy infrastructure for our communities, providing much needed modernization and saving New Mexicans money.”
Additional information on the loan for Jemez Mountains Electric Coop can be found here and for the Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative, Inc, here .
