Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications announces it has accepted grant awards totaling almost $15 million to bring high-speed broadband internet to areas in Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties.
The four California Advanced Services Fund grants will bring broadband to some of the hardest-to-reach areas of the region. The grants total $14.7 million and will bring fiber optics to over 450 homes in underserved communities across the three counties. Approved projects include:
- The Grizzly Road-Chilcoot Project, which will connect 205 unserved locations in and around Grizzly Road and Lake Davis, Beckwourth, Chilcoot, Portola and Vinton
- The Herlong Flats-East Milford Project, which will connect 72 locations in and around Herlong and Milford
- The Mohawk Meadows Project, which will connect 83 locations in the communities of Blairsden, Greenhorn, Johnsville, Keddie, Mabie, Mohawk Meadows and other areas near Whitehawk
- The Sierraville Project, which will connect 100 locations in and around Sierraville
“With these grants we are focused on continuing to build on past success and infill more of our service territory,” said PST General Manager Bob Marshall. “This significant investment will enable PST to bring high-speed internet to hundreds of homes, businesses and community institutions that have been historically underserved by reliable broadband services.”
These projects will not only benefit PST but also Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative, the member-owned electric utility that owns PST. Installation of fiber optics along PSREC’s lines will increase the footprint of PSREC’s supervisory control and data acquisition system.
California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Darcie L. Houch said, “The award to Plumas-Sierra Telecom will help serve rural, low-income and fire-prone communities, strengthening access to critical services and emergency communications, and the Broadband Consortia awards will better connect the CPUC to the local governments, small businesses and community-based organizations that use our broadband programs.”
The California Advanced Services Fund’s purpose is to help bridge the digital divide in unserved and underserved areas in the state. The fund was started in 2007 and is part of the California Public Utilities Commission. PST previously received a matching grant from CASF along with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, in 2010 when PST constructed its middle-mile fiber optic network backbone from Reno, Nevada, north to Susanville and west to Quincy.
PST also received federal funding account grants totaling over $67 million to bring high-speed broadband to over 5,000 locations.
Those interested in being added to the interest list for high-speed broadband internet can call 530-832-4126 or visit pst.coop.
Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electric utility headquartered in Portola.
