Gov. Ralph Northam today announced the award of $79 million in Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grants to Firefly Fiber Broadband, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, and its partner Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC).

Appomattox County is serviced by Firefly Fiber Broadband.

The funding will support the $288 million project, which endeavors to offer universal access to gigabit speed broadband service to 36,000 unserved homes and businesses in 13 counties in Central Virginia. Elected officials from each county in the project voted to contribute funds, totaling $33.5 million.

The fiber construction will take approximately three years to complete and will include 4,000 miles of fiber. Dominion Energy Virginia will support the extension of broadband to unserved areas by deploying middle-mile fiber that Firefly will use to connect end-customers to the internet.

The announcement was made Monday afternoon by the governor at the Goochland Fire House to a group of county officials, local and elected officials, directors, supervisors, first responders, business partners, and Firefly employees.

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