Jackson County REMC plans to deliver service to customers in 10 counties, including rural parts of Jackson County, Indiana served by REMC.
The member-owned rural electric cooperative’s plans to make high-speed broadband service available to all of its customers through a fiber-to-the-home connection could have broader implications for southern Indiana.
Those include attracting new businesses and supporting the needs of agriculture and agribusiness in rural parts of Jackson County and parts of 9 other counties.
Officials discussed the project when asking Jackson County Council to approve abatement on the $5.43 million project. “Broadband connectivity has gone from being a luxury to a necessity,” REMC general manager Mark McKinney said.
The purpose of the project is to help prepare the company for the current and future needs of its 20,000 members.
Jim Plump, executive director of Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation, said this is a “win-win” for all involved because it will not only benefit the company and its customers but will improve the quality of life for everyone. He said when it comes to marketing the county to potential industries, this will eliminate a reason for companies to locate elsewhere by making sure infrastructure, including broadband, is in place.
The $5.43 million is the company’s initial investment for Phase I of the project, which has an overall price tag of $20 million just for Jackson County, and $60 million systemwide.
Source: The Tribune, Jackson County, Indiana