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Senator Murray: “We are investing in electrical infrastructure, in clean energy, and in good paying jobs.”
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) announced a $5.4 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Jefferson County Public Utility District (PUD) to improve and expand rural electric infrastructure across the county. The loan is a part of the USDA’s Electric Loan Program, which invests $2.7 billion to improve and expand rural electric infrastructure across the country.
“It’s important to me that our efforts to build a clean energy economy put rural communities front and center—these are the kind of investments that can help ensure every community in every part of Washington state can succeed,” said Senator Murray. “With the funding we secured in the Inflation Reduction Act and this recently awarded loan to Jefferson PUD, we are making sure the power stays on in homes across Washington state. We are investing in electrical infrastructure, in clean energy, and in good paying jobs.”
“Investments like these go a long way in helping folks stay connected,” said Representative Kilmer. “Importantly, this federal funding means Jefferson County PUD No. 1 can provide more reliable and efficient power without all of the costs falling on the backs of local ratepayers and taxpayers. This is a big win for folks on the Olympic Peninsula.”
The $5.4 million loan to Jefferson PUD will be used to purchase a building to be used for administrative and additional office spaces. This loan includes $4,058,850 for smart grid technologies. Jefferson PUD is headquartered in Port Hadlock and provides service to 20,440 consumers over 799 miles of line in the northeastern portion of Jefferson County.
The Electric Loan Program finances wind, solar and natural gas plants, as well as improvements to produce cleaner energy from coal-fired plants. Local utilities can also use the loans to invest in infrastructure to deliver affordable power to millions of residential, commercial, and agricultural consumers.
Senator Murray has long supported investments into clean and reliable energy, especially in rural communities. Murray was a leader in passing the Inflation Reduction Act which invests more than $12 billion into the USDA for loans and grants to expand clean energy, transform rural power production, create jobs, and spur economic growth. The IRA’s nearly $370 billion in historic clean energy investments will lower energy costs at home, create good-paying clean energy jobs, promote energy independence, and drastically cut carbon emissions.
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