Project Manager Burns & McDonnell, Missouri, United States
The importance of this topic lies in its potential to open up new avenues of income for power utilities, while also contributing to the broader goal of expanding broadband into unserved or underserved areas. Power utilities can secure state or federal broadband and middle-mile fiber grants to either transform their existing fiber assets or build something new that could serve both their utility needs while also enabling broadband access to areas that their power asset already exist. Within this presentation we will delve into the grant application process, monetization strategies, and potential challenges that a power utility will face in their pursuit of these funds. We will also include quantitative data and real-world examples of how a utility can successfully plan for, acquire, and deploy these resources to not only open up new revenue streams but also contributes to the expansion of broadband, shaping the industry’s future and enabling high-speed broadband access to those who don’t currently have it.
