SECO Energy CEO Advances Rural Communities at White House Event
SECO Energy Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn has accepted an invitation to attend the Biden-Harris Administration’s Rural Communities in Action Event on Tuesday, May 14, at The White House. The event will highlight the Administration’s investments in rural communities and lift up success stories from rural leaders.
In November 2021, President Biden signed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package into law. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) secured several vital wins for electric co-ops in the package. As a result, the new law includes significant investment and funding opportunities for electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. The funding opportunities fall into the following major categories: electrical grid modernization and resiliency, clean energy, electric vehicles, physical and cybersecurity, and broadband.
SECO Energy is a frontrunner in tapping into these once-in-a-generation funding opportunities that will offset the enormous amount of money the cooperative would otherwise have to borrow at rising interest rates. SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn stated, “The available grant funding could not have come at a better time. Our Board recently approved one of the largest construction work plan budgets in the cooperative’s history to keep up with the tremendous growth in the region. The cost of the material needed to construct new substations, build new services, modernize our electrical grid, and keep our rights-of-way clear of trees throughout SECO’s service territory has increased exponentially over the past few years. The timely grant funding will help us keep pace with Central Florida’s tremendous growth, provide innovative and reliable service, and maintain competitive electric rates for our members.”
To date, SECO Energy has submitted ten grant proposals from four federal agencies totaling more than $177 million to support over $287 million in projects that would typically be paid for by our members. While final approval is pending on some of the grant proposals, many are already approved. The projects are being placed under contract with the respective federal agencies responsible for dispersing the funds. Once implemented, these projects will increase reliability for SECO Energy members across the board.
Examples of projects include converting overhead utility lines to underground, hardening existing poles, installing larger conductor to increase line capacity, replacing aging inefficient equipment, deploying solar & battery storage, creating micro-grids, upgrading outdoor lighting from obsolete high-pressure sodium to more efficient LED (light emitting diodes)/dark-sky-friendly lighting and expanding load capacity with new distribution substations. Members will benefit from the investments through improved reliability, faster outage restoration times, and additional protections against extreme weather events that Central Floridians are vulnerable to. Finally, according to the federal requirements associated with these grant opportunities, SECO Energy has prioritized locations within our service territory that are designated as underserved and ‘disadvantaged.’
Wynn is pleased to accept the opportunity to represent rural communities. Wynn stated, “I am grateful to be considered a voice for rural Americans, and an advocate of the not-for-profit cooperative business model. I have spent my career furthering the interests of the local rural communities our utilities serve. Attending the Rural Communities in Action Event at the invitation of the Biden-Harris Administration is not only a great honor, but an opportunity to bring national attention to electric cooperative members’ need for safe, reliable, and affordable electric power.”
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