NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION
Roundtable with Secretary Vilsack and Pedernales Electric Co-op CEO Shows Evolving Grid and Evolving Partnership

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's  Rural Utilities Service (RUS) awarded $68 million to Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC). With this loan, PEC becomes the latest cooperative to take advantage of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program to make low-interest financing available to consumers for investments in efficiency and renewable energy.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined PEC CEO John Hewa for a roundtable discussion on how renewable energy and advanced efficiency solutions can strengthen small rural businesses.

Using the RUS loans, PEC is creating "Empower Loans," a program that offers PEC members up to $20,000 for grid-tied Distributed Energy Resource (DER) systems, including distributed solar photovoltaic systems and grid-tied battery storage systems. The loans can also be used for grid modernization projects that will improve efficiency.

"The historic public-private partnership between the RUS and electric co-ops that led to an electric grid spanning the continent has evolved enabling rural communities to leverage the benefits of advanced technology," said John Hewa. "Even as the technology for delivering safe, affordable and reliable electric is revolutionized with automation and advanced communications technologies, the end-goal remains the same:  strengthening economic prosperity in rural America."

"The PEC loan program illustrates how the cooperatives' consumer-centric business model can promote innovation and strengthen communities," added National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation's more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.