Firefly Fiber Broadband^SM Partners with Amherst County to Expand Rural Broadband with $1,370,000 of CARES Act Funding

(Arrington, VA) – Firefly Fiber Broadband^SM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), is partnering with Amherst County to make use of the funds that are available for several areas in the county as a one-time opportunity to quickly expand broadband availability in response to COVID issues using $1,370,000 of CARES Act funds. These additional funds, made available by Governor Northam, were awarded to localities based on a first come first serve basis after successfully being selected from the pool of applicants and the projects must be completed within calendar year 2020.

Firefly developed a plan to include construction of a project which, in total, includes 21 miles of fiber optic cable and will make service available to 466 accounts. Gary Wood, CEO for Firefly and CVEC commented, “Firefly is excited to announce our partnership with Amherst County to help expand broadband in these unserved areas of the county. These projects will connect homes, businesses and community centers plus allow for additional free Wi-Fi hotspots to help school children and remote workers in the area. Partnerships with localities such as these are what help Firefly and CVEC offer access to reliable, fiber-to-the home broadband as quickly as possible in even the most remote areas.”

With the state CARES funds, Firefly will expand a project already planned to bring broadband service to a portion of Boxwood Farm Road and Grandma’s Hill Road area funded in part through a grant with county CARES funds. Firefly will construct and operate a fiber-to-the-home internet access using overhead facilities in three areas near Roses Mill Road, Warrick Barn Road and Flat Woods Road. It will also extend service along Route 60 in Gladstone.

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