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Decatur County REMC says PowerStream Fiber has connected homes, eyes BEAD phase to reach more rural addresses
Summary
Decatur County REMC presented progress on its PowerStream Fiber build: a Next Level award (~$4.67M) covered 565 addresses while mainline infrastructure passes about 1,400 homes; BEAD-supported Phase 2 (roughly $7.1M) aims to serve 889 more addresses and pass about 2,800 homes, pending final state contracts and environmental approvals.
Bridal O'Plamp, CEO of Decatur County REMC, introduced Sam Ruff, the REMC’s technology manager and project lead, who presented results and next steps for the PowerStream Fiber build.
Ruff said the project used a multi-application strategy to maximize awards under Indiana’s Next Level Connections program. One awarded application (about $4.67 million) directly covered 565 unserved or underserved addresses; the mainline and fiber routes built for that award will pass more than 1,400 homes overall. Engineering studies and field validation identified discrepancies between reported and actual speeds; REMC submitted 305 challenges to restore eligibility for addresses and reported 261 accepted challenges.
Ruff reported that more than 400 customers had signed up in Phase 1 and that mainline construction is complete, with active customer connections underway. REMC described retail packages starting at $64.95 per month for symmetrical 500/500 Mbps service and top-tier plans at $109.95 for 2 Gbps symmetrical service.
Phase 2 is planned to be supported by $7.1 million through the BEAD program; that phase would serve an additional 889 unserved or underserved addresses and allow infrastructure that will pass roughly 2,800 homes overall. Ruff said the project is awaiting final state contracts and environmental approvals before beginning construction, but REMC has been authorized to begin purchasing materials to speed the start of work once approvals arrive. He said ARPA funding helped create momentum and that combined grant strategy has leveraged an additional $11.8 million in grant dollars for the region.
Commissioners and attendees asked about coverage maps, how the county’s $500,000 contribution was used (Ruff said much of the county contribution went to engineering, grant preparation and project management rather than physical line items in Ripley County where the connection was made), whether other awarded companies would complete builds in their areas, and whether more BEAD or ICP opportunities remain. REMC said not all areas will be covered by this award and that future grant opportunities are uncertain; Indiana’s ICP program could pick up scattered addresses but large-scale awards are unlikely in the near future.
Ruff summarized that the project has improved connectivity for homes and businesses, aided education and economic development, and positioned the region for further grant success.
