Connexus Energy Board of Directors
(Ramsey, Mn.) — November 13,2024 — Connexus Energy Board of Directors has announced that Connexus is a selectee in the competitive Empowering Rural America (New ERA) grant program. Connexus was one of six selectees revealed at a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) event in Westminster, Colorado, on Oct. 25. Once this last stage of the awards process is complete, the company looks forward to celebrating an official award of New ERA funds.
“We’re excited to reduce costs for our member-owners as we move forward to meet our obligations for carbon-free emissions by 2040,” said Board Chair Fran Bator. New ERA grants cover up to 25% of project costs for new electric generation and storage facilities that do not emit carbon dioxide, potentially cutting the cost by up to 25% for the 227 MW of renewable projects we plan to add to our power supply. These projects – spanning wind, solar and hydro power and battery storage – will provide enough electricity to power nearly 80,000 homes annually.
USDA announced the New ERA program in May 2023, and Connexus submitted a letter of interest in September 2023. Upon receiving USDA’s invitation to proceed in April 2024, Connexus developed a portfolio of projects guided by our board-approved 10-year resource plan. After significant effort and dedication, Connexus staff submitted our New ERA application in August 2024.
