Federal Loans Could Cut Rural Electric Bills
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing a new federal loan program that would make federal loans available for rural electric coops to distribute to customers who want to make their homes and businesses more energy-efficient. A version of the program was piloted in South Carolina. There, 125 rural homeowners received loans averaging $7,200 to seal air leaks and replace inefficient heating and air-conditioning systems. The electric coops of South Carolina secured the federal funds for the loans and are billing customers for repayment on their monthly utility statements. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more on this story.