WPPDC West Project Description

The WPPDC West Universal Broadband Project is a project funded through a $33,571,073 grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) Program with $59,425,085 in match funding from RiverStreet Networks and local government partners. Participating local governments include Franklin, Henry, and Patrick counties. The purpose of this project is to build fiber to the home (FTTH) broadband service to approximately 10,056 unserved locations.

Project activities include engineering, 1,117 miles of fiber installation, fiber splicing, installation of electronics to light fibers, and fiber drops to homes, businesses, and community locations that sign up for service. 

Combined Notice: Finding of No Significant Impact & Intent to Request for Release of Funds

Current project status:

Appalachian Power is preparing an application for submission to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) seeking approval for its next broadband project. If all goes as planned, the proposal will be filed with the SCC in early 2023. The SCC has a six-month window to render a decision. If approval is granted, Appalachian Power will begin a pre-engineering phase in partnership with RiverStreet Networks (RSN), after which, construction will begin.

Appalachian Power and RSN have not determined where the build will start, but they are open to looking at locations of interest to the counties during the pre-engineering stage. The build will go in segments, which is how fiber will be spliced and lit. So, residents along the construction path will receive service as segments are completed, without having to wait until the project is fully constructed. A conservative construction estimate is 18-24 months.

Project Area Map: