Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative recently received approval for a $1.5 million grant to construct 103 miles of above-ground fiber that will expand access to broadband for customers in Potter County, Pennsylvania.
The customers that will benefit include 830 residential, 540 seasonal and 13 commercial customers. The funding was awarded through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Project program. Lawmakers authorized the funding in the Capital Budget Project Itemization Act.
“Quality broadband service is vital to the livelihood of the rural communities we represent, affecting our local economy, educational opportunities and access to health care,” Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-25th District) said. “This is an important and much-needed investment.”
The fiber will be attached to above-ground on poles owned by Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative and in rights of way already acquired by the co-op.
Construction of the fiber is expected to create 27 jobs along with four permanent full-time jobs associated with the project. Potential customers of the fiber currently account for more than 530 jobs.
This initiative serves as the first phase of a long-term effort to bring broadband access to Tri-County Rural Electric’s entire service area.
“Our goal is to bring broadband to rural communities just like we brought electricity to them back in the 1930s,” Craig Eccher, president and CEO of Tri-County Rural Electric, said. “The entire initiative is a six-year project with 2,700 miles of fiber delivering high-speed internet to our members. We are excited to get started on phase one.”’
More than 800,000 Pennsylvanians currently lack access to reliable, high-speed internet, 520,000 of which live in rural areas and 250,000 of which live in urban areas.
Governor Tom Wolf’s Broadband Initiative, launched earlier this year, aims to provide high-speed internet access to every household and business in Pennsylvania.