U.S Department of Energy cancels funds in Imperial County

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) - The United States Department of Energy has canceled funding for new Imperial Irrigation District (IID) project in development. 

The IID received a letter from the United States Department of energy stating that the project "advanced distribution management system" will no longer be funded last month.

The IID says without this project rural areas in Imperial County will continue to face major power outages after a strong storm leaving them in the dark.

The IID says the project is about $37 million, which the Department of Energy was going to fund half of the project.

"Still in the process of reevaluating it so the deal right now is what can we do? How far can we go? Can we tape her off a little bit? Maybe not have all the bells and whistles but still have the opponents, so it’s under assessment right now," said Robert Schettler, public information officer for the Imperial Irrigation District.

The IID says they still stand with the project and plan to launch the project next year.