(Greensburg, IN) – Decatur County REMC (DCREMC) officially launched PowerStream Fiber on Friday.
“Just as we brought power to our rural communities 87 years ago, it’s only fitting that we now bring fiber in the same way,” said Decatur County REMC CEO Brett Abplanalp. “PowerStream Fiber will empower the community with fast, reliable internet—connecting local roots to a global reach and delivering the power to stream seamlessly.”
Also in attendance for the announcement were SEI Communications CEO Tony Clark; government officials including Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh, Decatur County Commissioners and Councilmembers, and Greensburg Community Schools Superintendent Tom Hunter.
This venture started last February through a partnership with SEI.
By combining SEI Communications’ expertise in telecommunications with Decatur County REMC’s commitment to enhancing rural connectivity, the initiative had become a significant achievement, according to Abplanalp.
Decatur County REMC secured the funding needed for the project. The initiative was kickstarted with support from Decatur County, which provided a $500,000 grant from its ARPA funds.
This was instrumental in helping Decatur County REMC successfully apply for the Broadband Next Level Connections Grant, resulting in $4.98 million being awarded to bring service to 578 addresses.
The first phase of the project will include 1,419 total passes – 641 in Decatur County and 778 in Ripley County.
While sign-up timelines are still being finalized, this first phase will be completed by September 2026.
Updates will be shared on dcremc.com, through bill inserts, in Indiana Connections, and on the DCREMC Facebook page.
The remaining underserved areas within Decatur County REMC’s territory will be addressed through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant.
The BEAD application opened on December 30 and is scheduled to close on February 12.
With Indiana receiving $868 million dollars through the BEAD program, Abplanalp says Decatur County REMC is committed to securing the funding needed to connect the remaining underserved areas.
He adds PowerStream Fiber will provide transparent, competitive pricing with no hidden fees or long-term contracts.
Anticipated plans include options such as 100 x 100 Mbps, 500 x 500 Mbps, and 1 Gbps x 1 Gbps plans.
Plans and pricing will be announced once they are finalized.
“Decatur County REMC is incredibly excited about the future of PowerStream Fiber and the positive impact it will have on our community – local money, staying local,” Abplanalp says.
