As chosen by customers during strategic planning, the Public Power Benefit will bring access to PUD fiber from about 69 percent to 85-90 percent of county residents within 11 years. Locations for future expansion will be identified each year during budgeting for the following year. To date, fiber access has been expanded to over 4,000 customers within the county.
In 2020, the Board of Commissioners committed an additional $2 million to accelerate broadband network expansion by two years through the Public Power Benefit program. Accelerated expansion areas include lower Blewett Pass, Entiat River Road to Ardenvoir, south shore of Lake Chelan and the Totem Pole/Banks areas in Manson. These areas are currently being reviewed for scheduling with completion by the end of 2024.
The District continues to connect customers within previously approved expansion areas. Those areas include:
- Eagle Creek
- Upper Chumstick Highway
- Chumstick Highway
- Stine Hill
In addition to areas of expansion, the District is reviewing areas within the current service territory for customers unable to connect. Referred to as “infill”, these areas are all around the county and specific to customer addresses. Current infill areas still able to connect under the Public Power Benefit include:
- Cashmere
- Wenatchee
- Leavenworth
- Peshastin
- Dryden
Customers can connect under the Public Power Benefit program for two years after access is brought to their area and are urged to contact a service provider and make the request now.