The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative with a $485M grant through its New Empowering Rural America Program to create solar and battery storage projects in rural areas throughout Arizona, Nevada, California and New Mexico.
AEPCO is a nonprofit utility provider that provides wholesale power to utilities. With its newly awarded funding, the nonprofit plans to make investments in renewable power to lower its emissions while keeping costs stable.
The funding will go toward projects that include 730 megawatts of solar power and 2,910 megawatt-hours of battery storage. With the addition of these renewable sources, AEPCO believes it will cut its emissions by 70%.
The funding will also allow AEPCO to retire its power plants that rely on coal by 2028. (Source)
