31 Mar UTC Applauds White House Effort to Promote Utility Broadband Efforts
WASHINGTON—March 31, 2021–UTC President and CEO Sheryl Osiene-Riggs issued the following statement after the Biden Administration released the details for its $2.25 trillion infrastructure package:
“The infrastructure package released by the Biden Administration marks an important milestone in the critical discussion surrounding our nation’s infrastructure needs. The Utilities Technology Council supports many of the concepts included in the proposal, including the need to invest in new technologies for grid modernization and broadband deployment. We are still reviewing the details and will work with our utility members as we analyze the proposal.
In addition to grid modernization, electric utilities are key partners in deploying broadband to unserved and underserved areas—rural and urban—across the country. More than a hundred cooperative and publicly owned utilities are already providing their communities with high-speed, future-proof internet services, boosting economic security and job development. We appreciate the White House’s call to remove barriers that may prevent more cooperatives and municipals from doing the same. Electric utilities of all types empower broadband deployment, including investor-owned utilities that are supplying middle-mile services to local broadband providers.
The electric industry is at the core of this proposal and we look forward to working with the Biden administration and Congress as the process unfolds from here.”
–Sheryl Osiene-Riggs, President and CEO, Utilities Technology Council
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About UTC
The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) is a global trade association dedicated to serving critical infrastructure providers. Through advocacy, education and collaboration, UTC creates a favorable business, regulatory and technology environment for our members who own or operate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems in support of their core business. For more information: UTC.org
