In February 2021, Southern Rivers Energy (SRE) announced its partnership with Conexon to design and build a fiber network that will strategically serve two purposes: provide smart-grid capabilities to improve electric service and reliability and provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) high-speed internet to every EMC member through Conexon’s newly formed internet service provider, Connect. Since then, both partners and multiple contractors have been constructing the network and installing high-speed fiber internet service for thousands of SRE members. 

The project will provide new broadband service to nearly 16,000 locations in SRE's service territory that largely lack access to high-speed internet. Southern Rivers Energy will invest approximately $53 million to construct more than 2100 miles of fiber that will strengthen their electric grid and improve reliability. Conexon will invest a total of $6.5 million in electronics to provide broadband service to all of SRE’s members.

SRE will own the fiber and Conexon use a portion of the capacity to serve every SRE member with fiber-to-the-home internet with speeds up to 2 gigabits per second. The internet service will be powered by EMC fiber, but Conexon Connect will provide retail service to homes and businesses, and oversee customer service, and billing.

As of June 2023, SRE and Conexon have built nearly 1780 miles of fiber and more than 6000 SRE members have subscribed to fiber internet from Connect, powered by Southern Rivers Energy.

This partnership allows SRE to build a future-proof electric network that will help their communities thrive for decades, while indirectly filling the need to provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) for SRE members.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of August 2023. The initial goal of the fiber-to-the-home part of the project is to provide high-speed internet to every Southern Rivers Energy member who wants service.

For more information, call Conexon Connect at 844-542-6663 or visit conexonconnect.com.