Grant PUD fiber buildout scheduled for October completion

EPHRATA — The buildout of the Grant County Public Utility District fiber network should be complete by late October.

Fiber should arrive in Ruff by late August, and Wilson Creek by early October, according to a report at the July 9 PUD commission meeting. The initial build, which started in about 2008, will be complete with fiber installation in the Sagebrush Flat area and on Johnson Road Northwest, which should be complete by Oct. 31.

Since the fiber network dates back nearly 20 years, crews are also working on maintenance and upgrades of the existing system.

Utility district administrators have set a goal of hooking up 80% of available customers by the end of 2024. That’s called the take rate, and as of early July, it was at 75%.

The take rate ranges from 63% in Grand Coulee to 97% in Desert Aire. It’s 74% in Moses Lake, 75% in Ephrata, 80% in Quincy, 66% in Royal City, 65% in Soap Lake and 84% in Mattawa.

The PUD does not provide direct service to retail customers. Access goes to ISPs, or internet service providers, who then sell to retail customers.