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House Reconciliation Bill Includes Provisions to Assist Coops in Energy Transition

The recently passed House budget reconciliation bill includes two provisions that will directly assist electric cooperatives, including Direct Pay Energy Innovation Tax Credits, which provides the equivalent of a federal tax incentive for renewable investments via direct payments, and the USDA Voluntary Energy Transition Program, which provides $10 billion to defray the cost of...

Electric Cooperatives Laud Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson praised Congress’ passage of a bipartisan infrastructure bill that will support clean energy technologies, broadband deployment, grid modernization and resiliency and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, all of which will assist in meeting the needs of communities served by electric cooperatives.

CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative Urges Congress to Boost Carbon Capture Technologies

Mac McLennan, President and CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative, recently urged members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy to prioritize reliability and resiliency in the wake of power stability issues across the country. Specifically, Mr. McLennan asked Congress to support carbon capture technologies through passage of the Carbon Capture Modernization Act....

Broadband Access Expanding in Virginia

The Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, recently signed HB2304 and SB1413 in Franklin, Virginia. The law will expand broadband access in Virginia by allowing investor-owned electric utilities to recover costs of, and revenue from, expanding broadband to unserved areas. This paves the way for Virginia’s electric cooperatives to create partnerships with other investor-owned electric...

NRECA Urges Congress to Give Coops Direct-Pay Incentives for Clean Energy

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is urging congressional leaders to provide electric cooperatives with direct payments to develop clean energy projects, which would give coops incentives comparable to the tax breaks granted to investor-owned utilities. For-profit utilities have long received federal tax breaks for providing power from solar, wind and other...

Harris Praises Electric Cooperative’s Rural Broadband Leadership

Vice President Harris recently praised the work of electric cooperatives in delivering affordable broadband internet access to rural areas, comparing it to the electrification efforts in the 1930s. The Biden administration has proposed a $100 billion investment in rural broadband.

NRECA Reacts to Biden’s Commitment to Rural Communities

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) announced it was encouraged to hear President Biden prioritize the needs of rural America in his address to Congress. Specifically appreciated was his emphasis on the need to modernize rural infrastructure and expand rural broadband access.

Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Electric Grid

Senators Murkowski, Manchin, Risch, King and Rosen have introduced the Protecting Resources on the Electric Grid with Cybersecurity Technology (PROTECT) Act. The Act seeks to enhance electric grid security by incentivizing cybersecurity investment.

NRECA Reacts to Biden Infrastructure Plan

As the Treasury Department writes rules to govern the funds to be dispersed to state and local governments under the American Rescue Plan, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is resisting efforts by some large telecommunications companies to place restrictions that it argues would harm regions without adequate broadband access. The Plan includes $219 billion for...

Electric Coop Leaders Convene Virtual Fly-ins

More than 1,500 electric cooperative CEOs and other coop representatives will take coop priorities to Capitol Hill April 19-23 for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Legislative Conference and congressional visits. The conference and meetings with lawmakers will be conducted virtually. Coop leaders will highlight three priorities during the congressional...

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