Graham Electric Co-op provider receives $32 million grant

By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
Published on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 9:53 AM MST

An economic stimulus grant for more than $32 million has been awarded to Benson-based South-west Transmission Cooperative, which transmits electricity to Graham County Electric Cooperative and Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative.

Contrary to information from District 1 Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick's office, neither Graham County Electric Cooperative nor Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative customers will receive direct benefits from the grant, SWTC spokesman Geoff Oldfather said Nov. 2.

No "smart meters" will be installed at individual homes or businesses in Graham or Greenlee, he said.

SWTC and two distribution cooperatives — Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, based in Willcox, and Mohave Electric Cooperative, based in Bullhead City, will use the money to add digital upgrades to their electric grid, smart meters for more than 34,000 customers and upgrade or install the infrastructure needed to support a two-way flow of information between the grid and the cooperatives' control centers, according to an announcement from Southwest Transmission.

More than 143,000 customers in southern Arizona and in the Bullhead City area are served by the grid that will be upgraded using the grant funds.

The grant could create 11 jobs directly related to developing and installing the smart grid system and an additional 400 jobs in related and support businesses, according to the SWTC announcement.

The Department of Energy and the electric cooperatives will soon begin negotiations over details of the grant, and the money could be awarded in the first quarter of 2010.

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Comments

4 comment(s)

Charlie wrote on Nov 8, 2009 8:53 PM:

" Don't let Ron Green handle it? or see it? "

newtocounty wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:48 PM:

" Coming from another northern county in AZ last year, I have been more than happy with my bill from graham county elect here in Safford. The dust is not great though. "

Shelly wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:41 PM:

" To whom It May Concern, The people who work at the coop, are the same people who live in our communities.
Those same people have to pay utilities
to.
I have been at there building and met some of the employees. Lets give that a thought. "

Going Up wrote on Nov 4, 2009 10:35 AM:

" You could give all that money to Graham County Electric and they'd still raise your rates while they are busy taking trips to the east coast and living high on our dollars. I don't see one ounce of fiscal restraint with the CoOp. It's business as usual, spend spend spend and raise rates AND build themselves a new palace while we struggle to pay our obscene power bills. Replace the board and the management before it's too late and call for a Federal audit. That is OUR CoOp, not theirs. "

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