Today, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced a grant award of $1,654,882 to SVEConnect to serve broadband to the communities of South Pittsburg Mountain, Orme and Battle Creek.

The State announced a total of nearly $19.7 million in grants awarded to electric and telephone cooperatives around the state, including the grant to SVEConnect.

“Thank you to the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for their commitment to rural broadband expansion,” said Michael Partin, president and CEO of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) and SVEConnect. “Rural Tennessee cannot grow and prosper without access to reliable, high-speed connectivity. The state’s broadband accessibility grant program speeds the process of expanding high-speed internet to communities that have no other options.”

Including the broadband accessibility grant for the South Pittsburg Mountain, Orme and Battle Creek areas, SVEConnect has been awarded over $2.97 million in grants for broadband expansion to unserved areas of Marion County including a broadband accessibility grant of $817,406 for the Griffith Creek community and a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for broadband expansion to New Hope in Marion County.