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| Summit Daily |
Summit Daily Link
Summit Public Radio & TV has broken ground on Power the Towers, a long-awaited power line replacement project on Bald Mountain.
SPRTV carries half of the FM radio stations and all of the over-the-air TV stations available in Summit County, so if someone enjoys listening to NPR or classical, country or jazz music, or Spanish language radio in the home, car or office, he or she is benefitting from SPRTV's work.
For years, SPRTV has been assembling the necessary partners, equipment and agreements to begin replacing the power line on Bald Mountain that allows the nonprofit to rebroadcast the radio and TV signals.
For 60 years, SPRTV have maintained antennae and electronics on Bald Mountain overlooking Breckenridge, but the two-mile long cable that delivers power to the site is nearing the forecasted end of its useful life and needs replaced.
Most basically, the load-handling capacity of the existing power line is maxed out, and no additional broadcasting or telecommunications services can be added until it has been replaced, according to the nonprofit.
By replacing the power line and installing duct for fiber optic cable, SPRTV says it will ensure people in Summit County have continued access to essential news and cultural media, while also enabling the site to function as part of wireless broadband networks, emergency communications and other technological enhancements.
This infrastructure project is being funded almost entirely by local sources, with money from The Summit Foundation, Summit County government, the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco and Silverthorne, Breckenridge Grand Vacations' philanthropic wing BGV Gives, the Breckenridge Restaurant Association, Summit County Rotary, Gannett Foundation, several fundraisers and individual contributions.
Recently, Freeport-McMoRan, owners of Climax Molybdenum Mine, granted the nonprofit $45,000 to bring the next phase of Power the Towers to fruition. For more, SPRTV.org.
