EPB's fiber network wasn't funded this way. Either state law or charter (can't remember which) forbade them from using electric utility revenue to build out the

EPB's fiber network wasn't funded this way. Either state law or charter (can't remember which) forbade them from using electric utility revenue to build out the fiber network. They issued bonds instead under a new EPB Fiber Optics startup to finance the build-out. The inverse is not true, however. Last year, EPB's electrical division saw a shortfall in revenue due to electricity usage being lower than anticipated. This could have actually resulted in a rate hike to EPB electrical customers, but because EPB Fiber Optics was already profitable, they were able to use fiber revenue to avert an electrical rate increase.