POWELL VALLEY SUPPORTS BROADBAND EXPANSION
Powell Valley Electric Cooperative (PVEC) supports the expansion of broadband services to all of its membership. In early 2018 the PVEC Board of Directors unanimously approved the deployment of fiber to every member in the service territory. This fiber deployment will enable every member to have a gateway to access the internet, phone, and broadcast services.
Access to fiber services has become necessary for nearly all people in our community. Some members require it to be able to telework. Our children and grandchildren need it for school. PVEC is committed to the rapid deployment of fiber. Since January, PVEC has installed 178 miles of fiber and is connecting services in its service area.
PVEC is dedicated to expanding broadband availability in a safe environment. PVEC’s intent is to remain vigilant concerning the safety of its members and the communities we serve. The integrity of the electric distribution system is an important part of what we do daily. This is accomplished by focusing on continuously inspecting poles and other equipment in the distribution of the electric power our members receive.
Regulatory requirements set forth by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), TVA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Electrical Code must be adhered to every day. Engineering considerations must be considered for any attachments on our poles. As such, requests for engineering review must be submitted before anyone can attach to any of the systems poles. The integrity of the pole is of foremost concern in this process. No one wants to see a power outage from a compromised pole that has fallen or someone injured by a falling pole or downed power lines. Additionally, we do not want to put our linemen in dangerous conditions by climbing compromised poles.
We will continue to press forward every day to not only provide highly reliable electric power to our members, but also to work diligently to bring broadband services to every PVEC member.
