Plans for high-speed internet across five counties

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative has found a partner for its project to spread high-speed internet across its five-county service territory.  Jim Lovinggood, president/CEO, today announced a partnership with WC-FIBER, a subsidiary of Abbeville-based West Carolina Telephone Cooperative.  According to the results of two-year study, Blue Ridge members have shown a need for high-speed internet across large parts of the electric power provider’s 1,800 square mile service area.  Blue Ridge’s management and board of directors stipulate that this is a project for which Blue Ridge ratepayers will not be charged.  “We definitely want to avoid any member subsidies being utilized to underwrite this project, and so our plan is to go down this path gradually,” said Lovinggood.