WASHINGTON, Aug.19, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 46 rural utilities and cooperatives in 30 states have been selected to receive $1.16 billion in loans to build and repair 11,249 miles of distribution and transmission lines and make system improvements that will benefit 109,250 rural customers.

"Our rural communities need reliable, affordable electric service to support business expansion and broaden economic opportunities, and President Obama is delivering on his commitment to invest in America's infrastructure and create jobs," Vilsack said. "These loans will spur growth in rural America by helping cooperatives and rural utilities deliver improved service to more customers."

For example, Fox Islands Wind, LLC, in Vinalhaven, Maine, has been selected to receive a $9.5 million loan to provide clean, low-cost renewable energy through wind power. Fox Islands provides power to 1,900 consumers in rural Maine on the Penobscot Bay via submarine cable to the mainland, where electric rates range from two to seven times the national average. When the Fox Islands project is complete, it will be the largest coastal wind-power facility in New England and the second-largest facility on the East Coast.

Meanwhile, Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation (SLEMCO) has been selected to receive a $71.2 million loan to repair damages incurred during tropical storms and hurricanes. SLEMCO, headquartered in Lafayette, La., serves 93,000 consumers with more than 9,500 miles of distribution and transmission lines across nine parishes.

Below is a complete list of the selected borrowers. Funding of each loan recipient is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the loan agreement.

Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas:

Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation; $40,000,000 loan

Colorado and Nebraska:

Highline Electric Association; $4,121,000 loan

Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming:

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.; $102,511,000 loan

Florida:

West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc.; $19,845,000 loan

Talquin Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $47,571,000 loan

Idaho and Montana:

Missoula Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $17,837,000 loan

Idaho, Nevada, and Utah:

Raft River Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $7,225,000 loan

Illinois:

Monroe County Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $7,000,000 loan

Iowa:

Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative; $6,000,000 loan

Kansas:

Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $10,600,000 loan

Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc.; $5,000,000 loan

The Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $9,860,000 loan

Kentucky:

Big Sandy Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation; $10,397,000 loan

East Kentucky Power Cooperative, Inc.; $140,716,000 loan

Grayson Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation; $16,438,000 loan

Louisiana:

Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation; $71,247,000 loan

Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative, Inc.; $9,200,000 loan

Maine:

Fox Islands Wind, LLC; $9,500,000 loan

Minnesota:

Stearns Cooperative Electric Association; $20,000,000 loan

Crow Wing Cooperative Power and Light Company; $28,000,000 loan

Mississippi:

Magnolia Electric Power Association; $31,000,000 loan

South Mississippi Electric Power Association; $55,663,000 loan

Missouri:

New-Mac Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $5,800,000 loan

Citizens Electric Corporation; $26,000,000 loan

North Carolina:

Central Electric Membership Corporation; $7,500,000 loan

Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation; $16,000,000 loan

North Dakota:

McLean Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $6,500,000 loan

North Dakota and Minnesota:

Square Butte Electric Cooperative; $13,235,000 loan

Ohio:

Consolidated Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $21,182,000 loan

Oklahoma:

Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $15,246,000 loan

Northwest Oklahoma Electric Cooperative; $19,370,000 loan

Oklahoma and Texas:

Southwest Rural Electric Association, Inc.; $4,628,000 loan

Pennsylvania:

REA Energy Cooperative, Inc.; $17,850,000 loan

South Carolina:

Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $118,935,000 loan

South Dakota:

Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $11,412,000 loan

Butte Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $13,331,000 loan

South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota:

Sioux Valley - Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $40,697,000 loan

South Dakota, Montana, and North Dakota:

Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $10,890,000 loan

Tennessee:

Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative; $15,000,000 loan

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation; $47,500,000 loan

Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative; $13,000,000 loan

Texas:

Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $12,216,000 loan

Rusk County Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $13,164,000 loan

San Patricio Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $8,545,000 loan

Virginia:

Central Virginia Electric Cooperative; $24,000,000 loan

Wisconsin:

Jump River Electric Cooperative, Inc.; $4,000,000 loan

USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development fosters growth in homeownership, finances business development, and supports the creation of critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).