Midwest Energy received a $1 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program Aug. 2, to increase energy efficiency in the homes and businesses of the cooperative’s customer-owners through its award-winning How$mart® Program.

The loan, announced by Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager, was one of 21 loans and grants totaling $13 million to support job creation efforts, business development and strengthen economic growth in rural communities in 12 states.

“The REDLG loan will allow us to expand the How$mart Program to many more of our 91,000 electric and natural gas customers,” stated Earnie Lehman, President and General Manager at Hays-based Midwest Energy.  “This loan reduces costs and saves energy for our customer-owners, and brings work to dozens of plumbing, heating and general contractors in central and western Kansas that perform the How$mart upgrades.”

Midwest Energy’s How$mart Program provides low-interest loans to eligible customers for energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, air sealing and new heating and cooling systems.   Participating customers repay the funds through energy savings on their monthly Midwest Energy bills.

The average How$mart participant saves roughly $53 per month on their utility bill while reducing their carbon footprint.