Electric Co-ops: Trump Executive Orders Prioritizing Electric Reliability ‘Put Our Nation on a Better Path’

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson today issued the following statement on President Trump's executive orders to reset U.S. energy policy by prioritizing electric reliability and the well-being of American consumers.

"As electricity demand skyrockets, America is facing major electric reliability challenges that require bold and decisive action," Matheson said. "President Trump's swift reset of American energy policy appropriately prioritizes smart energy policies that will help keep the lights on.

"In recent years, federal agencies have taken numerous policy actions that jeopardize the nation's grid and hamper the ability of electric cooperatives to keep the lights on across rural America. We need more power, not less. These early Trump actions help put our nation on a better path by acknowledging this simple fact.

"We appreciate the president's recognition that the nation's permitting system must be modernized if we are to address today's energy challenges and meet tomorrow's energy needs. And we understand the administration's desire to re-examine and prioritize efficient and effective government spending. We look forward to discussing how electric co-ops are leveraging numerous federal programs to shore up the electric grid in local communities across the nation."

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation's landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $15 billion annually in their communities.

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