Page 10 - PCCAJournal4thQuarter2011

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PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2011
10
RDUP News
Continued from page 8
Vermont
Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., $7,400,000. Build 15
miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 28 miles
of existing distribution line, and make other system improve-
ments. $1,003,365 in smart grid projects.
West Virginia
Harrison Rural Electrification Association, Inc., $3,000,000.
Build 39 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to
18 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system
improvements. $137,600 in smart grid projects.
Wisconsin
Jackson Electric Cooperative, $4,200,000. Build 45 miles of
new distribution line, make improvements to 28 miles of exist-
ing distribution line, and make other system improvements.
$186,600 in smart grid projects.
Dunn Energy Cooperative, $7,000,000. Build 60 miles of new
distribution line, make improvements to 76 miles of exist-
ing distribution line, and make other system improvements.
$224,613 in smart grid projects.
Wyoming
Carbon Power & Light, Inc., $9,431,000. Build 51 miles of new
distribution line, make improvements to 74 miles of exist-
ing distribution line, and make other system improvements.
$370,460 in smart grid projects.
Niobrara Electric Association, Inc., $1,500,000. Build 61 miles
of new distribution line and make improvements to 48 miles of
existing distribution line. $23,400 in smart grid projects.
Colorado
Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association, Inc.—$18,725,000
to upgrade the existing fiber-to-the-node network.
Idaho and Utah
Albion Telephone Company—$17,075,000 in loan funds to
install 453 miles of buried fiber optic cables throughout the
proposed FTTP system.
Illinois
McNabb Telephone Company—$3,700,000 in loan funds to
make system improvements, including constructing new FTTP
facilities. Some 115 miles of buried fiber optic cable will be
deployed to improve service to subscribers.
Shawnee Telephone Company—$30,286,000 in loan funds to
construct FTTP facilities, allowing Shawnee to provide voice
and data services at speeds of up to 100 Mbps to residences
and businesses.
McDonough Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$15,728,000 in
funds to upgrade rural areas with FTTH technology. Approxi-
mately 766 miles of buried fiber cable will be deployed.
Indiana
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$29,139,000
in loan funds to start the process of designing and building
FTTP to enhance broadband services across the service area.
USDA Funds Aimed at Expanding and
Improving Broadband Services in Rural Areas
I
n November, the USDA announced funding for tele-
phone utilities to build, expand, and improve broad-
band in their rural service territories across 15 states.
The announcement was made by USDA Rural Utilities
Service Deputy Administrator Jessica Zufolo during an
address at the annual meeting of the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners in St. Louis, Mo.
In Minnesota, Rural Development Broadband Loan
Program funds will be used to extend Paul Bunyan Rural
Telephone Cooperative’s existing fiber-to-the-home network
to serve rural communities in North Central Minnesota. This
project will offer advanced telecommunications services to
more than 45,710 households and businesses. Paul Bunyan
has been operating since 1952 and has been a telecommuni-
cations borrower with the Rural Utilities Service since 1953.
In North Dakota, Rural Development funds will be used
to expand Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation’s
fiber-to-the-premises broadband system throughout 18
exchanges. The upgraded system will help meet current and
future requirements for delivery of voice, video, and high-
speed data to subscribers.
In Indiana, Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative
Inc., (PSC) provides telecommunications services to 5,711
subscribers over approximately 1,148 square miles. This loan
will enable PSC to start the process of designing and building
fiber-to-the-premises broadband services across its service
area.
The following list of awardees will receive $410.7 million in
funding, contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of
the agreement with USDA.