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La Plata Electric Association aims to help bring broadband connections to its members by 2030 – without increasing electricity rates.
The LPEA board of directors voted Wednesday to adopt a new strategic goal focused on improving broadband access for its members through community partnerships. The high-level goal will give LPEA staff members the go-ahead to pursue new joint efforts, said Kirsten Skeehan, LPEA board director for Archuleta County.
“You may think it’s just a strategic goal, but that’s where it all starts. Unless we give our staff permission to do stuff, they can’t do it,” Skeehan said. “We know we’re about getting affordable power out to our members, but we also recognize there’s a need out there in the community and we should try to leverage that. ... I think it’s a great move.”
Daily life – whether it’s health or business services, remote work options, online classes, or even the gadgets in homes – is increasingly tied to the internet.
But rural and remote areas of Southwest Colorado face a digital barrier: slow internet speeds that hamper access to online resources. In 2020, the issue became even more apparent as people relied on home internet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For years, government and economic leaders have been looking to improve broadband service in La Plata and Archuleta counties. Broadband is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as an always-on, high-speed internet connection with minimum speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.
Fiber-optic internet is one way to bridge the digital divide – if the counties can create more fiber infrastructure.
Fiber-optic internet relies on transparent, flexible fiber made from glass or plastic to send data as fast as about 70% the speed of light, according to CenturyLink. Through fiber optics, broadband connection can reach speeds as fast as 940 Mbps.
The main challenge is the “middle mile” infrastructure, or the segment of a telecommunications network that links major carriers to local networks, according to an LPEA feasibility study.
Infrastructure redundancy is also an issue, Skeehan said. In Pagosa Springs, there is one primary fiber line providing high-speed internet.
“If anything happens to it, everybody’s down,” she said.
It’s the same in other communities, such as Ignacio. Limited infrastructure means that if a fiber-optic cable is cut in Denver, Ignacio’s service can be impacted.
More state and federal funding has been made available to improve broadband service in rural areas after the pandemic revealed infrastructure deficiencies in those areas. LPEA is looking at the grant funding as the primary funding source for future broadband partnerships.
The strategic goal says LPEA will “pursue a funding and partnership strategy that will enable broadband connections to its membership by 2030 without increasing electric rates to do so.”
The goal is all about aligning projects, Skeehan said.
For example, LPEA was already planning to install 250 miles of fiber for reliability and safety reasons over the next five years. The electric co-op could team up with local governments like Pagosa Springs, tweaking fiber plans to suit the broadband goals of both organizations, she said.
The 250 miles of fiber work can act as the interstate for local broadband traffic, said Jessica Matlock, LPEA CEO, in a news release.
“With this clear direction from the board, and through a combination of partnerships that capitalize on state and federal grant dollars, LPEA’s investment can now be multiplied several times over to benefit our communities,” she said.
LPEA is not investing any funds beyond operational funds already approved for the electric grid, Matlock said.
The strategic goal passed 11 to 1 on Wednesday.
Sue McWilliams, LPEA board director for north and east La Plata County, voted against it, saying she supports the broadband project but the resolution language was “too vague.”
“I wanted our members to be able to read the resolution and know exactly where we were seeking funding and that there would be outside partners,” she said. “La Plata Electric isn’t going to do this by ourselves.”
smullane@durangoherald.com
