Titan Building uses other dark fiber carriers

EPHRATA — The owner of the Titan Building near Moses Lake worked out alternative solutions to find dark fiber for potential businesses, the company confirmed Friday.

The Titan Building’s owner, the Red Sea group, is trying to attract new businesses to the area to complete a multi-tenant data center.

Dark fiber is needed for the center’s operations, but Grant PUD quit providing dark fiber in May.

One reason being the utility’s lit fiber program (fiber with equipment) has a higher potential to repay the cost of the utility’s fiber-optic network expansion to homes, a PUD commission spokesperson said in August.

The lit fiber expansion to 15,000 homes and businesses will cost the PUD $50 million and take place over five years.

Dark fiber is unlit fiber without the equipment installed. Some businesses prefer dark fiber due to the lower cost and for security reasons.

“We will do whatever we have to do to stay in business,” said WSS Corporation President Lee Willis, a business management and operations company for the Red Sea Group, on Friday. “If it’s the PUD’s decision to not lease dark fiber, we will get it anyway we can, just like Quincy will.”

Willis said they would have preferred to lease dark fiber from the PUD.

At a Grant PUD commission meeting on Dec. 22, PUD Assistant General Manager Chuck Berrie said he attended a Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce rapid response meeting where dark fiber was discussed.

The chamber wants to hold another meeting on Tuesday, he said.

Berrie said he thinks there are some people who have a genuine interest in learning about the issue.

He termed the talks with the chamber as dialogue to help resolve the issue.

Berrie also said there’s now dark fiber in the Titan Building,

The PUD’s staff is working on a modified dark fiber rate based on the amount of usage, Berrie said.

PUD Commissioner Randy Allred said the idea was good for him and added it would be great if the PUD could get a rate metered on the PUD’s end.

PUD Commissioner Bob Bernd said he thought it was a good direction to go.

Berrie said it is critical for some industries to have control from end-to-end and they don’t have issues with rates.

Allred said he hopes a transition choice will be available as two dark fiber agreements come up for renewal.

PUD Commissioner Tom Flint said he wants more on the table, mentioned a rate being factored after new construction and added it makes sense to take a longer look at paying that off.

Bernd asked if it was possible to identify excess dark fiber.

He also said the PUD didn’t pay for its dams until the utility obtained 50-year contracts.

In relation to dark fiber, Bernd said the PUD would need people to sign contracts.

There is dark fiber available near Quincy through other sources, Port of Quincy officials announced in November.