PUD 3 & Grays Harbor PUD join fiber networks.

PUD 3 Commissioners recently approved an interlocal with Grays Harbor PUD to extend our fiber optic network out Highway 108 to the Mason County line where it will intertie with Grays Harbor PUD’s network benefiting both Districts and communities. Here’s how:

  • Provide redundant access to both District’s networks in the event of equipment failure at our main point of delivery or major disaster where geographic diversity matters.

  • Allow for the opportunity to serve telecommunications carriers and high capacity transport customers across county-lines. Mason 3’s intertie with Kitsap PUD in North Mason County has proven to be very beneficial in securing long-term transport contracts.

  • There are plans to land a trans-oceanic (Asia to North America) cable in Grays Harbor County in the near future. The intertie between Districts will provide access for those high capacity circuits to run to Olympia and Seattle via Mason County, through both networks.

  • NoaNet has also been working with PUD 3 to explore a new fiber route from Mason County into Olympia. These projects will provide a significant regional upgrade with our non-discriminatory open-access networks. This increases economic development in our Public Power Community.

  • Both Districts have received customer requests from companies that have locations in both Counties to be able to provide high capacity transport circuits and advanced networking connections between branches; this intertie would allow for that.

  • PUD 3 has received multiple requests to provide service to cell towers along the construction route. This project will position us well to be successful in future requests.

  • The customers along State Route 108 are currently unserved and have made many requests to PUD 3 over the years to bring fiber to their homes and businesses. This project will allow us to extend fiber to their premise. Since this would not be considered a FIberhood, customers would pay for all construction costs from the RC network to the home according to PUD’s Telecom Service Rules & Regulations.

This project is being coordinated with a 2019 scheduled maintenance project in the Hurley Waldrip area. That fiber-to-the-home project was necessary to turn down failing (well past end of life) wireless networking gear that has served customers in the Hurley Waldrip area for many years. Other benefits to these partner projects are pole evaluation/inspection and maintenance along Highway 108 and underground power line replacement along Elk Ridge Road and Lambert Lane.

For more questions on this project, contact Justin Holzgrove at extension 5323.

Project Updates, AnnouncementsLynn Eaton