LOUISA COUNTY PARTNERS WITH FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND TO EXPAND INTERNET ACCESS

COUNTY OF LOUISA Robert Babyok, Chairman Louisa County Board of Supervisors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 3, 2020 LOUISA COUNTY PARTNERS WITH FIREFLY FIBER BROADBAND TO EXPAND INTERNET ACCESS LOUISA, VIRGINIA – 

Louisa County continues efforts to expand broadband internet access through a federal CARES Act funded partnership with Firefly Fiber Broadband. Firefly is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), and the project will make service available to 87 additional accounts. “Every step counts,” said Bob Babyok, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “This project extends fiber in areas where there is none, and that means internet access for Louisa families. We’re grateful for Firefly’s ongoing willingness to partner in this critical effort.” To support the project, the County applied for federal CARES funding made available through the Commonwealth of Virginia for broadband expansion. The state awarded $340,000 for the effort, which must be in service by the end of the calendar year. “Firefly is excited to announce our partnership with Louisa County to help expand broadband in this area of the county,” said Gary Wood, Chief Executive Officer for Firefly and CVEC. “These projects will connect homes plus allow for an additional free Wi-Fi hotspot to help school children and remote workers in an underserved area of the County. Firefly is able to add the projects into the schedule without diverting attention from the system-wide CVEC fiber build, which is speeding up to get as many people access to broadband as fast as possible.” Firefly will construct and operate a fiber-to-the-home internet access using underground facilities for three miles along Loving Road and Campbell Road, making service available to 56 homes. In addition, underground facilities will be used for 1.2 miles to make internet available at the western end of West Green Springs Road, passing 31 homes. In addition to the fiber build, Firefly and Louisa County are partnering to find suitable locations for a free Wi-Fi hotspot in the southwestern part of the County that will provide access at up to 30 mbps with no data caps. Updates on the project, including details of the expansion and a map of the project area, can be found on the Firefly website at www.fireflyva.com. The announcement highlights an ongoing and positive relationship with CVEC/Firefly. The County previously committed to a $550,000 tax abatement for fiber deployment in other parts of CVEC’s service area in Louisa.