Senator Koran Celebrates $4.9 Million Broadband Grant for Isanti and Chisago Counties

Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch) today applauded the announcement that East Central Energy has been awarded a $4.9 million Border to Border broadband grant from the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development to expand high-speed internet access in Isanti County. This grant is part of $66.8 million awarded statewide for 30 critical broadband infrastructure projects.

“Reliable and affordable high-speed internet is more than critical infrastructure; in the 21st century, it is an absolute necessity to participate in our economy,” Senator Koran said. “I want to thank the Office of Broadband Development for investing in East Central Energy’s fiber network that will connect nearly 2,000 homes, businesses, and farms to some of the fastest internet speeds available today.”

PROJECT DETAILS

East Central Energy – Isanti South

  • Total eligible project cost: $18,267,826
  • Grant amount: $4,900,000   
  • Local match: $13,367,826

With funding support from the State of Minnesota and funding partnerships with Chisago County ($2,000), Isanti County ($39,600), North Branch Township ($9,600), Lent Township ($1,000) and the City of North Branch ($100), East Central Energy will cover 1,990 passings to at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, and access to Gbps connectivity, exceeding Minnesota’s 2026 state speed goal. A fiber-to-the-premises network will benefit households, businesses, and farms, furthering community and economic development by saving time, money, and other resources. A high-speed fiber network will provide critical e-learning access to students and training resources to businesses in the project area. 89.4% of businesses in Isanti County have fewer than 20 employees and will greatly benefit from ECE’s affordable pricing model for small, local businesses. In addition to skills development and telework opportunities that reliable internet supports, ECE’s fiber network will enable resource optimization for agricultural lands and managed vegetation through supporting the use of precision agriculture tools. The impacts of ECE’s fiber-to-the-premises network will be felt throughout the community, supporting diverse strategies for community and economic development.

BORDER TO BORDER BROADBAND PROGRAM DETAILS

The East Central Energy grant was one of 30 throughout Minnesota selected to receive a total of $66.9 million in the latest round of broadband grants from the Border to Border fund, which is administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. 

The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Pan Act (ARPA) Sec. 604 Capital Projects Funds (CPF). 

The 2023 Legislature appropriated $50 million for each of FY 2024 and FY 2025.