— from Suzanne Olson —
OPALCO is pleased that the San Juan County Council [on Tuesday] unanimously approved an update to our franchise agreement with the County.
The franchise agreement allows OPALCO to install various types of equipment within County roads and rights of way, and today’s update adds wireless facilities to that authorization. OPALCO plans to install several new two-way radio facilities for field crew communication, in order to improve the safety of our operations. We are also working with local First Responders (Sheriff, EMS and Fire Departments), so they can use these facilities to improve their radio coverage.
OPALCO hopes to add a data communications capability in the future as well. This will allow OPALCO to manage our electric grid more efficiently and further improving the reliability of our electric service. This update could also help provide improved telecommunications capability for the whole County.
I hope the county follows up with an amendment that forces OPALCO to provide reasonable and affordable access to that same right of way, poles, power and wholesale fiber access to other LOCAL organizations that can help provide improved telecommunications.