RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Residents and businesses in the Lower Richland area may soon find it easier to connect online.
Tri-County Electric Cooperative announced on Wednesday that the company plans to invest $12 million to expand broadband service to the area. On Tuesday, Richland County Council approved a fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreement that will provide a favorable property tax rate for the cooperative for the next 30 years. In exchange, Tri-County will construct a high-speed fiber-optic network throughout Lower Richland, providing broadband connectivity to the larger remote community.
“We're proud to make this investment in Richland County to provide broadband to previously underserved areas,” said Chad Lowder, CEO of Tri-County Electric. “This is a further commitment from Tri-County and its leadership team to provide essential services to citizens in our service territory."
Founded in 1940, Tri-County is a member-owned electric utility based in St. Matthews that serves Calhoun, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, and Sumter counties.