MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The Santee Cooper Board of Directors has approved draft rates and terms that could allow broadband providers to more quickly build out retail service to unserved areas of South Carolina by accessing Santee Cooper’s 1,200 miles of excess fiber, as well as our nearly statewide transmission infrastructure.
These proposed rates and terms apply to transmission pole attachments and the leasing of excess dark fiber, and are as follows:
The proposed rate for transmission pole attachments will be $292.11 per pole per year, which is based on an industry-accepted, cost-based methodology.
The proposed rate for leasing excess fiber is $69.46 per fiber per mile per month. This is in line with available market data.
Santee Cooper will host a virtual public informational session at 2 p.m. on March 2. Those interested in attending should email broadband@santeecooper.com to register by 2 p.m. on March 1. Santee Cooper also invites written questions and comments through March 10, which should be submitted via email to broadband@santeecooper.com .
Santee Cooper is not a provider of broadband. Rather, we want to allow providers access to our infrastructure so that they can more rapidly roll out service to unserved areas. More information, including details about draft terms and other market information, can be found at www.santeecooper.com/broadband . After the public comments are received and reviewed, the draft rates and terms will be finalized and submitted to the Santee Cooper Board for consideration on April 16.