Southern Rivers Energy (SRE) hosted a Fiber Network End of Build Celebration on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Lamar County Schools Fine Arts Center. Guests in attendance included SRE employees, contractors, and key players who had a hand in the execution of this monumental project.
The fiber network build has been a partnership between SRE, rural fiber broadband leader, and internet service provider Conexon and Conexon Connect. Aimed at providing all members with high-speed fiber internet service, SRE began construction in September of 2021.
Remarks during the program were made by Michael McMillan, President/CEO, SRE; Jonathan Chambers, Partner, Conexon; Representative Beth Camp, 135th District; John Gilmore, Construction Project Director, Conexon; Dr. Robert Griffin, Superintendent, Meriwether County Schools; Erin Cook, Manager, Member Services and External Affairs, SRE; and Stephen Goodman, Board Chairman, SRE.
The celebration highlighted several accomplishments throughout the project. In a mere 25 months, crews constructed 1,914 miles of fiber. To date, there are 7,730 installs completed and 343 installs pending. Connect, powered by Southern Rivers Energy fiber internet is available to every member in SRE’s electric service territory, regardless of how remote their home may be. The 40 percent penetration rate has exceeded the 32 percent take-rate used in the business model and the partners expect it to continue increasing in the coming months.
“Over the past several years, countless announcements have been made about broadband funding and broadband construction. There are far fewer announcements of the sort we are making today — completion of a fiber optic network to all members of an electric cooperative,” said Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers. “Southern Rivers Energy is the new gold standard for broadband — a fiber optic network built for the electric coop’s smart grid applications with sufficient capacity to ensure world-class, multi-gigabit symmetrical service available to all, completed on time and under budget.
Michael McMillan, President/CEO of Southern Rivers Energy said, “Our journey towards this milestone has been one filled with dedication, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to serving the needs of our community. When we embarked on this project, we knew it would be a significant undertaking, but we also knew it was a necessary step towards a brighter future for our members.”
The Lamar County Commission, Monroe County Commission, and the Monroe County Board of Education contributed a total of $630,000 towards the project. Southern Rivers Energy was also awarded a $15.4 million Broadband Infrastructure grant through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in February 2022. SRE used this additional funding combined with a low-interest long-term loan from USDA Rural Utilities Services to fund the $53 million endeavor.
In another statement by McMillan, he said, “Today, we can proudly say that we have achieved what we set out to do thanks to our partnership with Conexon. We now have a state-of-the-art, high-speed, and reliable broadband network that will transform how we live, work, and connect. In addition to all of that, it’s also affordable! This network will not only enhance our quality of life but also foster economic growth, educational opportunities, and technological innovation within our region.”
To sign up for service, visit conexonconnect.com or call Conexon Connect at 844-542-6663.
Special Thanks to our Contractor Partners:
Conexon
Conexon Connect
Everything Construction
Ervin Cable Construction
Gresco Utilities
Harpers Tree Service
Kennedy Broadband, LLC.
MasTec, Inc.
Osmose Utilities Service
Power Grid Services
Sumter Utilities
Vonalas, Inc.