1. 1129 20TH Street, NW Suite 350 ∙ Washington, DC 20036 USA ∙ 1.202.872.0030 ∙ Fax: 1.202.872.1331 ∙ www.utc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Lekan
202.833.6815
paul.lekan@utc.org
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Receives UTC’s APEX Award
Washington,D.C. – KitCarson ElectricCooperative,Inc.,basedinTaos,New Mexico,receivedthe
prestigiousUTCAPEXAward duringthe organization’sannual AwardsDinner.
As the UtilitiesTelecomCouncil’smostprestigiousaward,the APEX Awardpaystribute tothe critical
role of informationandcommunicationstechnologiesindeliveringessential energyandwaterservices
to communitiesthroughoutthe world.The awardrecognizesthatinemergencies,utility
communicationstechnologysaveslives,protectsproperty,speeds restoration,andputscommunitieson
the path to recovery.Innormal times,utilitycommunicationsprovideopportunitiesforcommunitiesto
enhance economicprosperity,provide innovative newservices,andsupporthealth,education,and
access to critical services.
Recipientsare selectedbyapanel of utilityexpertsbasedon:
Overall UtilityTelecomSystemDesign
UtilityTelecomSharingwithPublicSafety
UsingUtilityTelecomforCommunityDevelopment
KitCarson ElectricCooperative (KCEC)was selected fordeployingabroadbandnetworkthatwill enable
smart gridand affordable Internetthroughoutitsservice area. InNew Mexico,only43percentof
residentshave accesstobroadbandnetworking.KCECenvisioneda modernized,fiber-basednetwork
infrastructure todeliverthe benefitsof high-speedInternetaccesstounderservedcommunities,
therebycreatingInternet-basedopportunitiesand drivingeconomicdevelopmentamongbusinesses,
households,communityanchorinstitutions,andtwoNative Americanpueblos.
The projectbeganin the fall of 2011, makingKCECthe firstISP innorthernand central New Mexicoto
provide 1 Gbpsservice.The mainline constructionprojectisapproximately91percentcomplete,with
more than 110 businessesandcommunityanchor institutionsconnectedtobroadbandfiber.Overthe
remainderof thisyear,KCECwill make 1 Gbps broadbandservice availablein29 communitiesandwill
cover5,000 square miles. KitCarson’splanresultedinanetworkarchitecture thatminimizesTCOand
maximizesROI. FujitsuNetworkCommunications,Inc.,ledthe FTTHnetworkimplementationteamas
prime integrator. Zhone TechnologiesandJuniperNetworkswere technologypartners,andPulse
Broadbandprovidedoutsideplantdesignandengineeringservices.
2. 1129 20TH Street, NW Suite 350 ∙ Washington, DC 20036 USA ∙ 1.202.872.0030 ∙ Fax: 1.202.872.1331 ∙ www.utc.org
“We neededfiberforourelectrical operations,buthigh-speedconnectivityislackinginourarea,”said
LuisA. ReyesJr., KitCarson’schief executiveofficer. “The absence of broadbandwascreatingmany
quality-of-life andeconomicdevelopmentchallenges.The co-oprespondedbydesigningandexecuting
a strategythat wouldfinallybringbroadbandtothe areaina way that wouldbenefiteveryone,andany
profitwe make fromthe network goesback to the membersinthe formof lowerelectrical rates.It’sthe
verydefinitionof awin-winrelationship.”
The networkalsowill enable smartgridtechnologiesincluding distribution automation andadvanced
meteringinfrastructure,whichwill enhance service reliabilityand betterenable customerstoparticipate
inenergyusage management. The networkissecure,fullyredundant,andcompatible withevolving
technology.
UTC’s PresidentandCEOConnie Durcsakadded,“Broadbandisa transformative platform, enabling
outcomes ineconomicdevelopmentandjobcreation,telemedicine,andaccesstoworld-class
education. UTC,through itsRural BroadbandCouncil, hasbeenleadingthe fighttoensure utilitieshave
a clear pathin utilizingtheiruniqueskills,field-basedassets,andconnectionswiththeircommunitiesto
provide broadbandto areasthat are currentlyunservedorunderservedbyothercommercialservice
providers. KitCarsonisa perfectexample of whatutilitiescanaccomplish. Bybuildingsupportwithin
itscommunity andwithitsstate andlocal officials, KitCarsonwasable todeliverinjustafew short
monthswhatothershave failedtoaccomplish: a gigabitpipeline tothe digital world.”
Amongthe many successstoriesmade possible byKitCarson’svisionanddetermination:
The broadband networkenhancesotherservices,suchase911 andfire dispatch,improvingthe
qualityof life forlocalsand visitors.
The SipapuSki Area,whichexistsin averycompetitive ski market, cannow offerhighspeedInternet
to customersfortheirmobile devices,givingthemanedge overotherski resorts.
Priorto the launchof service toRedRiverFishHatchery, a divisionof the New MexicoDepartment
of Game and Fish, hadonlybeencapable of receivingservice viaacostlyT-1 copperline atspeedsof
1.5 Mbps or less.Nowthe operationenjoysasymmetrical consistentspeedof 5 Mbps at a fraction
of the cost.
The Taos Pueblo,one of only eightdesignatedWorldHeritageSites,now receives1Gigabitper
secondInternetservice speed.The connectivitygivesTaosPuebloanditsadministrationareliable
and robustconnectiontothe Internetandwill ultimatelyallow enablesuchservicesastelemedicine,
online highschool andcollege courses,jobcreation,andmore.
Utilitiesare readytocompete andare uniquelypositionedto deliverbroadbandtorural America.Many
utilitieshave experiencedeployingandutilizingfiber-opticnetworksfortheirownuse inmanagingand
controllingtheirsystems.All utilitieshave extensive infrastructure assetsandresourcesthatcan be
immediatelyleveragedforbroadbandservices.Equallyimportantisthe fact,that utilities have existing
relationshipswiththeirmembersandcustomers,makingthem trustedproviders of essential services,
includingelectricity,gas,water–and broadband.
3. 1129 20TH Street, NW Suite 350 ∙ Washington, DC 20036 USA ∙ 1.202.872.0030 ∙ Fax: 1.202.872.1331 ∙ www.utc.org
PHOTO CAPTION: Louis A.ReyesJr.(Right),KitCarsonElectricCooperativeCEO,acceptsthe 2015 UTC
APEXAwardfrom UTC ChairmanJasonGriffith.
About UTC
Utility information and communicationstechnology (ICT) isintegralto reliable and secure utility services.
UTC is the premier tradeassociation forinformation,telecommunications,and operationstechnologies
to identify,innovateand enablemission critical solutionsforessential utility services. Since 1948, UTC is
the sourceand resourcefor ICTsolutions,collaboration and advocacy forutilitiesand othercritical
infrastructureindustries.Visit - www.utc.org
About Kit Carson Electric
Kit Carson Electric Cooperativeisa memberowned cooperativeserving nearly 30,000 members,and is
the second largestelectric cooperativein the Stateof New Mexico.Kit Carson Electric providesElectric,
Propane, Telecommunication and Broadband services.Formoreinformation aboutKitCarson Electric
visit www.kitcarson.com orcontactthePublic Information Officeat575-758-2258 or by email at
agonzales@kitcarson.com.
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