TRAVERSE CITY – Momentum for bringing fiber optic Internet to Traverse City is building as two local electric companies explore investing in the technology.
Cherryland Electric Cooperative is one of five members of Wolverine Power Cooperative partnering on a joint feasibility study to consider a statewide fiber optic project. Cherryland General Manager Tony Anderson says that in order “to meet ever-increasing federally mandated reliability standards,” Wolverine is planning to install fiber optic cable to its substations statewide over the next several years. The infrastructure upgrade offers Cherryland an opportunity to distribute fiber optic service to its Traverse City members.
“We buy all our power from Wolverine – they own the 16 substations that serve our 35,000 members,” explains Anderson. “Wolverine is committed to upgrading their substations (with fiber optic cable) and increasing their reliability over a period of time. Exactly like we do with electricity, Cherryland could pay some kind of wholesale fee to use that fiber.”
To read the rest of this story written by by Beth Mulligan at The Ticker, click on http://www.traverseticker.com/story/support-grows-for-fiber-optic-network-in-tc
