Utility brings fiber-optic jobs to struggling Colo. coal county - Entrepreneur Generations

Delta County, Colo. (Wikipedia map)

A electric utility in western Colorado is bringing better internet connection and jobs to a down-on-its-luck county. Coal mines used to employ thousands in western Colorado, but about 800 miners were laid off between 2014 and 2016 when two of the three mines in the Delta County area shut down. That was devastating to a county with under 30,000 residents.

Eric and Teresa Neal wanted to help. "Their then fledgling company, Lightworks, began bidding — and winning — contracts offered by the local electric utility that was looking to expand broadband to thousands of homes and businesses," Kirk Siegler reports for NPR. "Coal was going away and broadband was key. After all, how does a small town compete in today's economy without good access to the internet?"

The Neals turned their barn into a training facility, and have taught more than 80 former coal miners about how fiber works and how to lay and splice it. Former coal miner Johnny Olivas is one of them. "I didn't know anything about fiber optic, but you catch on pretty quick," he told Siegler during a break. "It's a hell of a lot easier than coal mining."

The result of the Neals' efforts? Delta County's population isn't declining for the first time in years. The fiber-optic jobs don't pay as well as the old coal jobs, but they provide benefits and have been enough to keep people in Delta County. The jobs and the improved internet speed are also attracting urbanites who want to live in a small town and work remotely, Siegler reports.

"For the local people, the miners and their kids, the fiber optics has pretty much saved this valley," retired miner Rob Clements told Siegler.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2yTs7bD Utility brings fiber-optic jobs to struggling Colo. coal county - Entrepreneur Generations

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