El Paso Energy, Touch America, PF.Net, Plan 1,500-Mile Fiber-Optic Network Build

Houston-based El Paso Energy Communications Co., a subsidiary of El Paso Energy Corp.; Touch America Co., a subsidiary of The Montana Power Co. (Butte, MT); and PF.Net (Vancouver) plan to launch an approximately $150-million project to create a long-haul fiber-optic network linking Los Angeles and Houston. The route, spanning 1,500 miles, will initially provide new connectivity and telecommunications services to several growing metropolitan areas along the southwestern route, including Phoenix and Tucson, AZ and El Paso, TX, in addition to Los Angeles and Houston. The project is scheduled for completion in 2000.

Touch America and El Paso Energy Communications are partnering for a one-half interest in the route. Touch America is providing construction management for this segment of the project, while El Paso Energy is providing right-of-way. PF.Net is responsible for constructing the other half of the route, whose owners are PF Telecom, headed by John Warta, and Koch Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries. Koch Industries has committed its 57,000 miles of right-of-way to PF.Net.