Rio Grande Electric Cooperative (RGEC) applied for and received approval of funding in the amount of $42,890,000 for the 4-Year Construction Work Plan.
The rebuilding and upgrading of lines is a priority, and will take place in various regions of RGEC’s service territory. A few examples include Comstock to the Pecos River, in Val Verde County; Old Pioneer Rd. to Fm 1021 in Maverick County; South of Uvalde Substation, in Uvalde County; Terlingua Ranch Subdivision and South Brewster County, Brewster County; Pat Lee Substation southeast and Mitchell #1 Airport in Crockett County; as well as Gentry Rd. to Broadway and FM 2317 South of Cornudas Substation in Hudspeth County.
“This is very exciting news for the Co-op! The funding, which is available at a very favorable interest rate, will allow Rio Grande to undertake multiple large-scale projects concurrently, without having to wait for funding from other sources. It allows us to implement system improvement projects now, without having to deplete our cash reserves,” said CEO Theresa Quiroz.
This Rural Development investment will be used to connect 702 consumers, and build and improve 383 miles of line. This loan includes $3,990,000 in smart grid technologies.