As your electric cooperative, were always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for our members. One of the most exciting projects in recent years has been the construction and expansion of our fiber internet network. Reliable, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury its essential for work, school, healthcare, and staying connected with the people and things that matter most.

Discussions about bringing internet service to Jasper County began in 2019, and construction officially started in 2021 with the creation of our SmartGrid Ring. This first step connected our substations with high-speed internet, improving reliability for members through fewer and shorter outages, and helping our crews restore power more safely and efficiently. The fiber at the substations will provide your electric cooperative with options as internet-enabled devices become available. These devices will monitor the electric distribution system and improve reliability. The Ring was also built with redundancy in mind for the fiber network, which will increase internet reliability.

Since then, its been an all-hands-on-deck effort to bring fiber internet to rural areas across Jasper

County. Every employee at Jasper County REMC has played a part in making this project a success. In fall 2022, our first test neighborhoods were connected to fiber service.

These areas were carefully chosen to help us gain experience with both underground and overhead installations before moving into full-scale construction.

Once testing was complete, our focus turned to designing a network capable of serving about 5,700 addresses a major undertaking that required building roughly 630 miles of fiber line in just two years. For comparison, Jasper County REMC has been providing electric service for 87 years and currently maintains 1,239 miles of electric line.

As you know, we were awarded grant funding that helped make this project possible. To meet the strict timelines and requirements tied to those grants, we had to build quickly and follow a specific path to reach every address included in the funding areas.

The grants helped us bring reliable internet service to even more members, faster than we could have on our own.

This year marks a significant milestone as the largest construction phase nears completion.

A final list of addresses to be served has been established, and members are encouraged to call our office to check if service is available at their location. Our team will be happy to help.

While this is an exciting achievement, we want to be upfront. Once the current build is complete, not every member will yet have access to our fiber service. This was a tough, but necessary, decision made by our board of directors and management team to protect the long-term financial health of your cooperative and keep costs low for everyone.

Looking ahead, a smaller final phase is in the works, with plans expected to be finalized in early 2026. Once that phase wraps up, the board will review whether further expansion is financially responsible and in the best interest of all members. Our hope remains that one day, every member will have access to reliable, high-speed internet service.

Other providers have also received grants to build in the county, and together, these combined efforts are helping move our entire community closer to the shared goal of ensuring everyone has the tools they need to thrive in todays connected world. We know how important internet access is for our members and remain committed to finding solutions that benefit everyone.

Thank you for your continued support, patience, and trust as we move forward. Together, were building not only a stronger electric system but also a stronger, more connected community.

JON RICH

CEO