Central Virginia Blue Ridge Area
Firefly Fiber BroadbandSM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), suffered damage to its infrastructure during opening day of the 2024 Dove Hunting Season on September 2. The costly damage resulted in internet and phone outages across Appomattox, Buckingham and Cumberland counties.
In the days leading up to hunting season, Firefly advocated to protect their fiber lines from this unlawful destruction by educating the public on the dangers of shooting at electric and communication lines. Firing at power lines is a federal offense and can cause costly damage to electric and fiber infrastructure.
In the opening season of 2023, Firefly’s fiber optic cable was damaged in six localities from birdshot, resulting in internet and phone outages for thousands of customers and a hefty bill for Firefly. The Firefly footprint has expanded to over 30,000 customers and is growing by 200-250 per week. Fiber optic cable is being placed adjacent to overhead electric lines at a rapid pace to deliver world-class broadband services to central Virginians. The optical fibers used to deliver internet are protected by glass tubing, which shatters upon impact when shot and can disrupt internet and phone services.
“The damage to our fiber network caused by bird shot is a reminder of the continued challenges we face,” said Firefly Communications and Customer Service Manager, Melissa Gay. “However, I firmly believe that with our collective resilience and determination, we can turn this setback into an opportunity for education and growth.”
Dove hunting season will continue in segments through January 2025. Firefly is urging the community to share this information with family and friends.
