[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 116 (Friday, June 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39394-39395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12848]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RUS-23-ELECTRIC-0003]


Amended Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Powering Affordable 
Clean Energy (PACE) Program

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; amendment.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural 
Development (RD) Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), announced its intent to solicit Letters of Interest (LOI) for 
Applications under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program 
in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on May 16, 2023, in the 
Federal Register. In addition, the NOFO announced the Application 
process and deadlines, and the criteria that RUS will use to evaluate 
applications under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program. 
These loan funds will be made to qualified PACE Applicants to finance 
power generation Projects for Renewable Energy Resource (RER) systems 
or Energy Storage Systems (ESS) that support RER Projects. The PACE 
Program has $1,000,000,000 available in appropriated funds under the 
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). This notice is making amendments 
to ensure applicants know they are required to establish a Verified 
eAuthentication ID, to inform applicants that they are eligible for the 
PACE Program even if they are subject to a ``cooling off period'' under 
the Rural Electrification Act, and to notify applicants that the Agency 
will provide general assistance to applicants through the RUS' General 
Field Representatives (GFRs) prior to LOI submissions.

DATES: Letters of Interest (LOIs) can be submitted beginning at 11:59 
a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on June 30, 2023, until 11:59 a.m. ET September 
29, 2023. An applicant that is invited by RUS to proceed with the loan 
Application will have 60 days, or a time agreeable to the Agency, to 
complete and submit a loan Application beginning from the date the 
Invitation to Proceed is emailed to the PACE Applicant. If the deadline 
to submit the completed Application falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a 
Federal holiday, the Application is due the next business day. RUS 
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to extend the deadline upon 
the written request of the applicant if the applicant demonstrates to 
the satisfaction of the Administrator that exceptional circumstances 
exist to warrant the extension.

ADDRESSES: 
    Letters of Interest (LOI) Submissions. All LOIs must be submitted 
to RUS electronically through an on-line application window. The Agency 
will finalize the specific requirements of submitting the LOI through 
the on-line application window by notice in the Federal Register and 
the RUS website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/powering-affordable-clean-energy-pace-program on or before 
June 30, 2023.
    Application Submissions. LOI submitters chosen to proceed with the 
loan Application must submit a completed loan Application package in 
accordance with the instructions provided in the RUS' Invitation to 
Proceed.
    Other information. Additional information and resources are 
available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/powering-affordable-clean-energy-pace-program. Information on 
IRA Funding for RD is located at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act#fn.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher A. McLean, Assistant 
Administrator, Electric Program, RUS, RD, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, STOP 1568, Washington, DC 20250-1560; Telephone: 202-690-
4492; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Corrections and Amendments

    This program was initially announced in the Federal Register on May 
16, 2023, in FR Document 2023-10388. As of this publication, the 
following changes are being implemented.
    1. On page 31239, in the second column, section D.7, is being 
amended to add two new paragraphs, (g) and (h), to read as follows:
    (g) Prior to accessing the on-line application window to submit an 
LOI or an Application, PACE Applicants must obtain a Verified USDA 
eAuthentication (eAuth) account for each member of their staff 
requiring access to the online application window. If an Applicant or 
staff member does not have a Verified eAuth account, then they will 
need to create an account or upgrade an existing account. To do so, a 
person will need to follow the instructions on the USDA eAuth website 
to create a Verified eAuth account or upgrade an existing account from 
``unverified'' to ``verified.'' The USDA eAuth website can be found at: 
https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/home.
    (h) The 120-month or 180-month exclusions referenced in sec. 306B 
of the Rural Electrification Act and related regulations do not apply 
to financing under this program.
    2. On page 31243, in the first column, section I is being amended 
to add a new paragraph 9. to read as follows:
    9. Application of General Assistance. Prior to official submission 
of an LOI, Applicants may request general assistance from the Agency if 
such requests are made prior to August 17, 2023. The Agency may provide 
general assistance as it is able, and Applicants may request assistance 
in the form of general assistance and consultation with an RUS GFR. 
Please note that RUS GFRs shall not provide strategic submission or

[[Page 39395]]

strategic LOI advice, and applicants are fully responsible for their 
submissions. Assistance may also be requested to Agency staff in the 
form of requests to speak at meetings, events, and conferences to 
explain program provisions and answer questions about this funding 
announcement. Such requests and responses will be posted to the PACE 
FAQ page. Information on contacting an RUS GFR can be found here: 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/electric-gfr. For requests regarding 
speaking engagements, please email: [email protected].

Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-12848 Filed 6-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P