Buckeye Power, Inc. has been selected as one of 16 electric cooperatives nationwide to receive part of $7.3 billion in funding aimed at developing renewable energy projects for Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives. The announcement will be made by President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack during a visit to Wisconsin, highlighting the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Pat O’Loughlin, President and CEO of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives and Buckeye Power, Inc., stated, “Buckeye Power will use the New ERA funds to deploy 36MW of renewable energy and 80 MWH of energy storage across rural Ohio, in conjunction with closure of Cardinal Unit 3.” He added that this initiative is expected to lower the carbon footprint by 1.9 million tons annually and reduce power generation rates for members while maintaining reliable and affordable electricity.
The funding aligns with Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ mission to adopt a diverse approach to power generation, including coal-fired generation, natural gas, hydropower, solar, wind, and biogas from farms and landfills.
John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, commented on the significance of the act: “The Inflation Reduction Act makes the largest investment in rural electrification since FDR and the New Deal in the 1930s. Today’s awards will bring clean, affordable, reliable power to rural Americans all across our nation.”
Full USDA release available here.
