Fiber network revenues continue to climb; network continues to expand

Grant PUD’s wholesale fiber network is on pace to bring in more than $12.5 million in revenue this year, which will help ensure that the utility’s covers the cost of operating the expanding network.  

Terry McKenzie, Senior Manager of Grant PUD Fiber, provided that information in a quarterly fiber update to commissioners on July 12.  

In each of the first five months of 2022, revenues from the network more than covered operations and maintenance costs. Revenues grew by 3% from January to May. The network also added 1,073 new fiber subscribers in the same time frame. Sixty-nine percent of customers with fiber available to them are using the service. 

McKenzie also gave an update on the fiber expansion project. The utility has so far spent $8.349 million this year to expand the fiber network and is on track to spend approximately $20.33 million by year’s end. New fiber areas for 2022 include rural parts of Mattawa, Soap Lake, Winchester, Warden and Quincy.

Grand Coulee and Electric City were among the first areas of the county the networked served because of local advocacy and demand reflected in a PUD survey at the time.

View the full report on pages 1-15 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 51:50 on thecommission audio.