LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Rural communities in Kentucky will receive up to $1.4 billion in federal funds to improve access to clean energy, education, health care and economic growth, announced on Monday.

Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service Administrator Andy Berke announced the funding in Frankfort. East Kentucky Power Cooperative will be eligible to receive up to $1.4 billion in grants and subsidized loans under the USDA’s Empowering Rural American program.

According to a news release, the funds will allow EKPC to provide renewable energy to power homes and businesses in rural Kentucky. The project also will help rural communities attract new business and support economic growth and job creation. 

“Many of the big economic development projects we’re working on – and we’re working on a bunch of them – have business leaders telling us, ‘You’ve got to provide us this much in renewable energy by this date,’” Beshear said in a news release. “And today’s award means East Kentucky Power is going to help us meet this demand and land more projects and more jobs in the coming years.”

EKPC will construct or procure 757 megawatts of renewable energy for rural portions of Kentucky, along with improve regional transmission grid to support renewable projects and increase energy efficiency, according to a news release. 

“When we transition to clean energy, we lower the toxic pollution in our air and water,” Berke said in a news release. “At the same time, this funding will keep costs low and allow rural Kentuckians to save money on their electric bill.”

The renewable energy projects are expected to reduce pollution, including carbon dioxide emissions by over 2.3 million tons annually. It is the equivalent of avoiding the pollution from 554,000 gasoline-power cars yearly, according to a news release. 

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