Sunday, Feb 20 2011 7:10PM
Some rural Arizonians will now be able to have power lines extended to their property free of charge.
Residents in some areas of rural Arizona who are living on undeveloped land will soon be able to receive free power line extensions to their property, allowing many who could not afford the fee to finally have electricity and heat in their homes, reported the Arizona Capitol Times.
A ruling by the Arizona Corporation Commission made it possible for customers of UniSource Energy Services to obtain free power line extensions if the distance from the lines to their homes is less than 400 feet, restoring a rural community assistance program that was eliminated in 2008, according to the newspaper. UniSource serves 230,000 people in rural sections of the state's northern and southern regions.
The paper said the average cost of an extension ranges between $4,000 and $7,000, making it an almost impossible expense for many lower-income residents of rural communities. Roberta Birdsell said she finally has electricity after being forced to live without power for months when she was told extending electrical lines to her land would cost $7,500.
“I just prayed daily that they would make the right decision, and they did," she told the paper.
While a large portion of rural communities in the country are hooked up to power, many of them do not have access to broadband internet, an issue the Federal Communications Commission is attempting to correct by directing money toward a program that will expand service to outlying areas.