COLUMBIA, S.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday announced a $2.7 billion investment to help 64 electric cooperatives and utilities expand and modernize the nation’s rural electric grid and increase grid security.
South Carolina will be receiving $20 million of this funding for the Broad River Electric Cooperative, Inc. electric project.
The Broad River Electric Cooperative aims to connect 2,600 consumers and build and improve 110 miles of line. This loan includes $2,692,694 in smart grid technologies.
Broad River Electric is headquartered in Gaffney, South Carolina, and serves 23,206 consumers over 2,702 miles in Cherokee, Newberry, Spartanburg and Union counties in South Carolina as well as portions of Cleveland, Polk, Rutherford counties, in the State of North Carolina.
“Our Electric Program was designed to help nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies and other utilities located in rural areas,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development South Carolina State Director Dr. Saundra Glover. “The Broad River Electric Cooperative, Inc. project will help to secure our electric infrastructure, create more job opportunities and expand economic growth for rural South Carolina.”