NORTH DAKOTA – FEMA has approved more than $3.1 million dollars in federal disaster funding to the Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative for a distribution system reroute and repairs as part of a substation upgrade. The funds are being made available as part of the major disaster declaration issued by President Biden for winter storm damage occurring between April 22 and May 25, 2022.
The combined force of a severe winter storm, high winds and flooding damaged the cooperative’s electric infrastructure and left many residents without power. The funding will reimburse a portion of the cost to replace a nine-mile line with a two-mile line and restore the distribution system back to its original function and capacity. Other work includes installing multiple round wood poles, top framing, as well as guy and anchor assembly.
The FEMA Public Assistance program provides funding to governmental agencies and certain private non-profits for eligible disaster response costs and to repair or replace damaged public infrastructure. For this disaster event, FEMA is providing a 75 percent federal cost share, with the state and local entities responsible for the remaining costs. FEMA assistance to North Dakota for this event has now surpassed $37 million.