{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.smith.senate.gov/u-s-senators-tina-smith-amy-klobuchar-celebrate-historic-investment-in-states-largest-electric-co-op-for-affordable-clean-energy/", "U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Celebrate Historic Investment in State\u2019s Largest Electric Co-Op for Affordable, Clean Energy", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MN", "Tina Smith", "S001203", "www.smith.senate.gov", "tinasmith", "https://www.smith.senate.gov/media/press-releases/", "scraper", "MINNEAPOLIS, MN \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), celebrated historic funding for clean, reliable and low-cost energy for rural Minnesotans. Connexus Energy will use funding secured by Senators Smith and Klobuchar to produce over 280 megawatts of clean energy through hydro, solar and wind energy that will lower costs for its 146,000 members in rural Minnesota while supporting 400 jobs. With $170 million in funding, these projects will reduce climate pollution by more than 1.1 million tons of harmful, climate-warming emissions each year.\n\nMinnesota\u2019s electric cooperatives provide electricity to nearly one-third of the state. Connexus is based in Ramsey, Minnesota and serves 146,000 members across Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Ramsey, Sherburne, and Washington counties.\n\n\u201cThe clean energy transition is here, and we can either lead or follow. I want Minnesota to lead, and with this announcement, we will,\u201d said Senator Smith. \u201cWith this investment, cooperatives can unleash clean energy in a way that works best for their communities. This will fight climate change. This will lower energy costs. And this will strengthen our energy security and resilience by ensuring our rural communities continue to have safe, reliable and clean, American-made energy for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cDomestically produced renewable power strengthens our energy independence and boosts rural economies,\u201d said Senator Klobuchar. \u201cThese Empowering Rural America Program grants will lower rural energy costs, create good paying jobs, and support renewable energy projects in Minnesota and across the country.\u201d\n\nSenator Smith was instrumental in securing this funding for rural electric co-ops through her work on the clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. The program, dubbed the Empowering Rural America (or New ERA) program, was partially inspired by Senator Smith\u2019s Flexible Financing for Rural America Act.\n\nThis is the fourth Minnesota rural electric co-op to receive funding thanks to provisions authored by Smith. In September 2024, the following co-ops also received funding for clean, affordable energy.\n\nDairyland Power Cooperative (Southeast Minnesota)\n\nThis $573 million investment will support eight wind and solar power installations across rural Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois.\n\nDairyland\u2019s electric rates are estimated to be 42 percent lower over 10 years than they would have been without this funding.\n\nGreat River Energy (Southern, Central, and Northeast Minnesota)\n\nGreat River Energy will produce 1,275 megawatts of energy across rural portions of Minnesota and North Dakota.\n\nThese investments are estimated to create over 1,600 short and long-term jobs, reduce costs by $30 million on average annually, and reduce carbon emissions by over 5.49 million tons each year.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.smith.senate.gov/u-s-senators-tina-smith-amy-klobuchar-celebrate-historic-investment-in-states-largest-electric-co-op-for-affordable-clean-energy/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7140170782804489, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}