WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas and the rest of New Hampshire's congressional delegation said Wednesday that more than $5.9 million in federal funding is going to the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative to help cover the cost of repairs after a severe storm in April 2024.

Pappas, a Democrat who represents the 1st District, issued the announcement jointly with Democratic U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, who represents the 2nd District.

According to the release, the storm brought strong winds and flooding that damaged the cooperative's electrical distribution system. Wind brought down power lines, utility poles and transformers, causing outages in Belknap, Carroll, Grafton, Rockingham and Sullivan counties, the release said.

"This federal funding supports the reconstruction of critical infrastructure by NHEC and protects the well-being of Granite Staters," Pappas said. He said he would keep working to bring money back to the state to update old or damaged infrastructure and strengthen storm preparedness.

Goodlander said the money would reimburse the cooperative for its recovery work. "Granite Staters shouldn't be left holding the bill for that recovery," she said, adding that because the cooperative is owned by its members, "this money goes right back to the people it serves."

Hassan said the funding would help communities repair infrastructure damaged by severe weather, improve flood protections and strengthen emergency preparedness. Shaheen said repairs to the electrical system had come "at great cost to small communities with limited resources."

This brief was drafted by AI from a public agency or political press release and published by The New England Signal. Why we use AI for stories like this one.