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For more information on EPB’s new fiber optics offerings visit the Electric Power Board Web site.
Signal Mountain residents could soon have new options for media services if Electric Power Board succeeds in its request to diversify entertainment and communication options through its new fiber optics offerings.
“I’m thrilled at the competition, real competition,” Councilman Paul Hendricks said. “Just providing competition benefits everybody.”
The town is currently drawing up the final contract, which will be the same for Comcast’s renewal. If approved by both the Town Council and EPB, the new services could begin early in the new year, according to EPB Vice President of Economic Development and Communications Diana Bullock, but will only be available to EPB electric customers.
“(The smart grid) allows us to improve operations and efficiency,” she explained to council members at an informational meeting Oct. 5. “There are savings to EPB, therefore we’re able to pass those savings on to rate-payers through the lowest rates possible.”
Although customers may have the option of a combined bill for convenience, Bullock noted that the electric and fiber optics divisions are completely separate and stand on their own, so that electric customers who do not sign up for the new services will not pay for them in any way.
The fiber optic phone, television and Internet provided would have many advantages to many entities, she said.
The smart grid would allow for quicker fixes to power outages. For a small business, a power outage equals time and money, she pointed out.
The grid would also alert EPB to power being lost through stealing, which typically runs between $8 million and $10 million each year and drives up costs to general consumers.
By being able to monitor and control things from the mainframe, the labor and cost it takes to monthly read the 170,000 meters under EPB’s coverage and the 1,000 turned on and off each day would be saved.
“These types of savings and operational benefits puts us in the position that we really have to build the smart grid for the community,” said Bullock.
Fiber optics lines would follow existing routes and infrastructure currently used to provide electricity so no new poles are expected. In any case, Mayor Bill Lusk said he would like to include provisions to protect private property, scenic views and trees.
While the new technology is projected to save EPB $300 million over a 10-year period, Bullock noted that it is also estimated that it will result in $600 million of economic development and savings to the Tennessee Valley over that same period.
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