Baltimore Gas & Electric gets federal grant for middle-mile broadband infrastructure
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) received a $15.4 million grant through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for a middle-mile fiber infrastructure project.
The infrastructure project will enhance electric grid reliability and resiliency while increasing broadband connectivity, affordability, and equity.
Specifically, the grant comes from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program, which was part of the IIJA. In addition to the $15.4 million grant, there is a 50.1 percent funding match from BGE to boost the amount to a $30.8 million.
The funding will be deployed over the next four years in nearly 70 route-miles of underground middle-mile fiber infrastructure.
Middle-mile infrastructure carries large amounts of data over long distances and increases capacity to local networks. Further, it boosts network resiliency, lowers the cost of bringing high-speed internet service to unconnected households, and helps connect unserved regions to the internet. The equipment will all be underground, so the network will be protected against severe weather.
“With our extensive expertise in delivering large-scale underground infrastructure projects on time and on budget, as well as experience in building, maintaining, and operating our existing fiber communications network, BGE is uniquely positioned to support the objectives of this grant program and be an ideal middle-mile partner,” Derrick Dickens, BGE chief operating officer and senior vice president, said. “High-speed internet is critical to the well-being and livelihoods of our communities. It must be reliable, affordable, and accessible to everyone.”
The project path touches Laurel, Elkridge, Columbia, Bowie, Glen Burnie, Linthicum, Brooklyn Park, and other communities in BGE’s service area. Among the large institutions that will benefit include Bowie State University, an Historically Black College and University. Also in the coverage area are 20 schools, two libraries, three healthcare providers, two higher education institutions, nine community centers, one police station, one fire station, and 12 other institutions. In addition, BGE plans to connect 20 electric substations to the underground fiber backbone.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
