COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A program started to help South Carolina residents make their homes more energy-efficient and lower their utility bills without putting any money down is going national.

During a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that he was putting $250 million into the national adoption of the program, which allows rural electric cooperative customers to take out USDA-funded loans to make energy upgrades and pay back the loans through their monthly utility savings.