Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has announced that 15 Mississippi electric power associations have applied for grants to expand high-speed internet access. Of the applicants, 13 of the 15 serve customers in the Northern District. These funds were made available by the Mississippi Legislature from federal money set aside to assist the state with issues related COVID-19 recovery. The Legislature has set aside $65 million in matching funds for broadband deployment by electric cooperatives throughout the state in unserved and underserved areas. Applicants have submitted pilot projects for approval by the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff. The awards were to be announced Tuesday. Natchez Trace EPA applied for a $4.36 million grant, which with a match of the same amount, brings its total project cost to $8.72 million. Four-County EPA applied for a $6 million grant, which with a match of $7.04 million, brings its total project cost to $13.04 million. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide has become even more evident,” said Presley. “Businesses are trying to reopen and return to normal as much as possible and schools are looking to move forward with plans to teach students in the coming months. Reliable, high-speed internet service is essential to these plans and these funds will go a long way in bringing that service to areas that are currently either making do with what they have or just doing without.” Presley continued: “One of the biggest issues our co-ops have faced is funding for these projects. The announcement of these funds today (July 17) is a giant leap forward for these companies.” “I want to thank the Legislature, especially House Speaker Phillip Gunn, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Senate Energy Committee Chairman Joel Carter and House Public Utilities Committee Chairman Scott Bounds for setting these funds aside to move rural Mississippi forward,” said Presley. “Without their leadership and forward-thinking on this issue, many of the plans this money will go toward would be sitting on shelves collecting dust. Instead, this will get many shovel-ready projects going to serve our citizens and move our state forward, he added.”
