Great River Energy secures hundreds of millions in federal funding

Great River Energy and a consortium of its member-owners have officially secured a significant $812 million in funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, marking the culmination of nearly two years of dedicated effort by Great River Energy and its member-owners.

This achievement represents the largest New ERA award to date. The funding is a monumental step forward for Great River Energy and its member cooperatives, furthering their commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.

“Our consortium laid out an innovative portfolio of projects and power purchase agreements that will benefit cooperative members across Minnesota,” said Great River Energy President and Chief Executive Officer David Saggau. “The projects in our New ERA proposal will allow us to procure more than 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy while creating over 1,500 new jobs, saving our members $30 million on average annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 5 million tons and creating a host of benefits across the communities we serve.”

The $812 million investment will enable Great River Energy to procure 1,275 megawatts of renewable energy from rural areas across Minnesota and North Dakota. The projects will include large-scale wind energy, distributed renewable energy and other innovative energy solutions aimed at advancing sustainability across the region.

“This funding represents a once-in-a-generation investment for rural electric cooperatives. Our member-owners have presented a robust, complex, and ambitious collection of projects and initiatives that not only help reduce carbon dioxide emissions but also provide tremendous, long-term value for our membership,” said Great River Energy Director of Member Services Jeff Haase. “The funding ensures enhanced reliability, rate stability, and creates new educational and job opportunities that will have lasting positive impacts on our communities.”

Following the announcement of Great River Energy’s award, the USDA has now allocated approximately 90% of the total available New ERA funding, benefiting rural electric cooperatives across the United States.