How Trump’s program is helping to power up Chester, York, Lancaster counties
As area power companies and cooperatives were back up and running after Hurricane Florence damage, money already was on its way to improve future service.
Much of Chester County, and pockets of York and Lancaster counties, could benefit from a $398.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture investment in rural electric service spanning 13 states. The money includes more than $43 million for smart grid technology to improve efficiency.
“Reliable and affordable electricity is undeniably a necessity in today’s world,” said Anne Hazlett, assistant to the federal secretary for rural development. “USDA is committed to being a strong partner in keeping our rural communities connected to this essential infrastructure.”
Two South Carolina electric cooperates are included in the loan program. Fairfield Electric Cooperative is getting $19.3 million. The money will add more than 2,200 customers, 110 miles of electric line and improvements for another 43 miles of its system. The loan includes more than $1.6 million for smart grid projects.
Headquartered in Blythewood, Fairfield Electric serves all or part of Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Richland, Lancaster and York counties. There are more than 28,000 customers on 3,300 miles of line.
While York and Lancaster have few customers within Fairfield’s service area, much of Chester County, including downtown Chester, falls within it. Duke Energy also serves much of Chester County.
The other South Carolina group on the list of loan recipients is Broad River Electric Cooperative. Broad River runs a small number of lines into York County, but the Gaffney-based group has most of its customers in Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union and Newberry counties. Broad River gets $30.8 million to add almost 3,200 customers, build 97 miles of line and improve 48 more miles. Broad River serves more than 21,000 members and 2,600 miles of line.
The Electric Infrastructure Loan Program is a key part of rural infrastructure improvements highlighted more than a year ago. President Donald Trump set up a task force on agriculture and rural prosperity in April 2017 to look at legislative, regulatory and policy changes to help rural areas. In January, findings were presented with recommendations, including additional investment in rural infrastructure.
The latest list was announced Wednesday. In August, a similar announcement of $345.5 million came through the same loan program. That announcement included $5.7 million for New Horizon Electric Cooperative, a combination of five electric cooperatives including Broad River and York Electric Cooperative.
York Electric has about 50,000 accounts and serves much of York County.
The New Horizon investment will add 47.5 megavolt amperes to its overall system, covering 15 counties in both Carolinas.
Area electric providers have recent history working together. Cooperatives, municipal providers and electric companies planned for widespread outages ahead of Hurricane Florence. York Electric, Duke and the city of Rock Hill told residents to prepare for possible outages lasting a week or more, depending on area flooding.
Flooding from the storm largely hit areas south, like Chesterfield County, and electric workers in York, Lancaster and Chester counties were able to restore thousands of outages within a couple of days after remnants of the storm dumped rain on the area.