(Washington, D.C., October 19, 2026) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is accepting Letters of Interest for the Affordable Rural Cooperative (ARC) Program. $175 million is available under this new program to boost rural nuclear power and strengthen the reliability of America’s electric power transmission.
The ARC program is administered through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Loans and grants are available to help eligible electric cooperatives to take actions to make electrical systems run more efficiently and reliably by deploying advanced, efficient transmission infrastructure and nuclear power supply. Investments under the ARC program will help make electric power more affordable with new sources of cooperative power supply and enhanced transmission efficiency.
RUS is accepting Letters of Interest now until November 20, 2026.
Eligible applicants are limited to operating rural electric cooperatives serving predominantly rural areas, and wholly or jointly owned subsidiaries of such rural electric cooperatives. For more information on this program, visit the program page online and review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity