SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Press Release) – FEMA has approved $3.64 million to reimburse Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric Cooperative for repairs in the wake of a severe winter storm in 2019. High winds and heavy icing caused widespread damage to the electric cooperative’s equipment leaving nearly 10,000 customers in Lake, Minnehaha and Moody counties without power and damaging hundreds of poles, power lines, and other equipment.

The $3.64 million from FEMA represents a 75 percent federal cost-share for permanent repairs that include replacing 890 power poles, four transformers and where feasible burying power lines to make them less susceptible to future storm damage. The State of South Dakota will provide an additional $485,936 in funding for the project with the cooperative responsible for the remaining costs. 

FEMA previously announced an additional $1.2 million in grant funds to Sioux Valley Southwest Electric for temporary power restoration work.

The federal funding is provided through FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program, which reimburses state, tribal, local and certain non-profit agencies for a portion of the repair and rebuilding of public infrastructure damaged as a result of a presidentially-declared disaster.

FEMA has currently obligated a total of more than $45.1 million in Public Assistance grant funds to South Dakota as a result of the winter storms and spring flooding.  This was one of four federal disaster declarations for South Dakota in 2019. 

Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.