DEC Announces New Irrigation Grant Program

For Immediate Release: December 5, 2011

GREENWOOD, Del. - The Delaware Electric Cooperative has announced a new Irrigation Grant Pilot Program to help Delaware farmers install environmentally friendly irrigation systems. The program will provide funding to farmers to replace diesel irrigation generators with electric generators and will offer financial help to growers looking to install new irrigation systems.

Under the program, The Delaware Electric Co-op will pay up to $15,000 of the installation costs. The Co-op has set aside $300,000 in 2011 and 2012 for the Irrigation Grant Pilot Program.

According to Bill Andrew, President and CEO of the Delaware Electric Co-op, “This new pilot program will not only allow Delawareans to breathe cleaner air, but will also help keep rates low for our member-owners. From our perspective, this is money well spent.

Farmers who receive a grant from the Delaware Electric Co-op will also save money by participating in the Co-op’s load control program, which allows the Co-op to shut off power to irrigation units during peak energy usage times. Participants in the load control program typically enjoy a savings of 18 to 25 percent on their energy bills.

To be eligible for the program, proposed irrigation systems must have a minimum 40 kilowatt load. Farmers will also be required to sign a contract for controlled load service with the Co-op for 60 months. For more information about the program, contact Kevin Yingling, Manager of Marketing at 302-349-3120 or by email at [email protected].