ComEd awarded $14.5 million federal grant to deploy fiber optic infrastructure in underserved Chicago communities
(UI) – ComEd was awarded a $14.5 million Middle Mile Grant by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that will increase broadband connectivity in communities on the south and west sides of Chicago that lack equitable access to affordable broadband.
The funding was made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a once-in-a-generation $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure funding opportunity focused on building resilient infrastructure, accelerating an equitable, clean energy transition and creating good-paying jobs in communities.
The NTIA made approximately $1 billion available nationwide to reduce the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas by building out middle mile broadband infrastructure; the Middle Mile Grant application specifically called out investor-owned utilities as one of several entities eligible to apply for this funding.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the inequities of broadband access, with many of ComEd’s customers shut out from economic opportunities and access to remote services, including telehealth and remote schooling. At the start of the pandemic, according to Kids First Chicago, one in five children under the age of 18 in the City of Chicago lacked access to broadband; despite considerable progress in closing this divide for households with children, as of 2021, nearly 200,000 Chicago households still lack access to broadband.
“In an increasingly interconnected world, bridging the digital divide isn’t just a matter of equality; it’s a fundamental necessity for progress and empowerment, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of knowledge, opportunity, and social inclusion,” said Daniel Anello, Chief Executive Officer of Kids First Chicago.
For several decades, ComEd has operated and invested in fiber optic infrastructure as part of an advanced communications network that facilitates the automation of the power grid in a way that makes the grid more reliable and secure. This makes the company well positioned to support closing of the digital divide.
ComEd already has plans to deploy more than 400 miles of fiber optic cable in Chicago over the next five years as part of its advanced communication network required to meet the needs of the evolving grid such as the decarbonization of our communities envisioned by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The Middle Mile Grant will leverage ComEd’s planned infrastructure investment to affordably bring new middle-mile infrastructure into 24 communities in need, representing 440,000 households in communities like North Lawndale, Englewood, Woodlawn and South Shore.
By offering last-mile service providers affordable access to dark fiber capacity along ComEd’s middle mile network, the costs for third-party internet service providers to deploy broadband services in areas of need would be significantly reduced.
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