Central Alabama Electric Cooperative was recently awarded seven broadband grants totaling $22.9 million through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) from the Capital Projects Fund allocation, which will further spread high-speed internet through fiber projects in areas of central Alabama.

The Capital Projects Fund will include work in four counties (Autauga, Elmore, Chilton and Coosa) currently served by the cooperative and its broadband subsidiary, Central Access.

The majority of the work will take place in Chilton County and will cover areas outside the cooperative’s current service footprint. With the Capital Projects Fund, 100 percent of those impacted are comprised of Alabama Power customers, totaling approximately 6,400 homes and businesses.

“One of our key principles as a cooperative is our commitment to community,” said CAEC President and CEO Tom Stackhouse. “The need for affordable, reliable, high-speed internet doesn’t just stop at the end of CAEC’s service territory— it’s a need many of our neighbors face daily. These grants will allow us to extend our ability to service customers in need outside of our electric coverage area.”

With a two-year completion timeline, residents in the newly released grant zones will receive information via email and or mail concerning the construction process and when service will be available. They may also visit www.centralaccess.com to enter their address to see if it falls within one of the Capital Projects Fund zones as well as timeline estimates.