Rukaya Alrubaye, national youth spokesperson for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Rural electric cooperatives provide 42 million people with reliable and affordable energy. The Inflation Reduction Act made direct-pay tax credits and clean energy incentives available to rural electric co-ops to expand and diversify their energy systems. Arkansas teen Rukaya Alrubaye knows how important electric co-ops are for providing energy in communities such as hers. Rukaya, a member of a first-generation family originally from Iraq, has experienced energy insecurity, which informed her advocacy for expanding energy access.
![Rukaya Alrubaye]()
Rukaya Alrubaye pictured in February 2023. (Photo credit: Denny Gainer)
As my community continues to introduce new clean energy sources, it is very reassuring that the Inflation Reduction Act supports these efforts. My family just switched to solar energy because of the climate and economic benefits involved, which have been made possible because of programs such as those implemented by the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s very special to know that those we elect into power are using their power wisely to do good. I hope we continue to work together to address climate change issues because they impact every person on this planet.
Rukaya Alrubaye
Read more about the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act
Americans celebrate how the Inflation Reduction Act has benefited their lives in the year since its passage.