Anterix (NASDAQ:ATEX), the leader in mission-critical private wireless broadband spectrum for utilities, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Public Utility District No. 1 of Benton County ("Benton PUD") of Kennewick, WA, to sell a 10 MHz 900 MHz spectrum license – establishing the first private wireless broadband deployment among publicly owned utilities in the Pacific Northwest.

Benton PUD's 900 MHz network will be utility-owned, utility-controlled, and purpose-built for the operational demands of its 927-square-mile service territory in Benton County, Washington – serving more than 58,000 customers across the communities of Kennewick, Richland, Prosser, Benton City, and Finley. The network will enable advanced grid automation, field workforce connectivity, enhanced outage detection and restoration, and the resilience required to meet Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act obligations head on.

This agreement underscores a broader shift in the utility sector. Public Utility Districts (PUDs), both community-owned and locally accountable, are now joining investor-owned utilities in advancing private wireless adoption. What began as early innovation is quickly becoming standard practice, as utilities across ownership models recognize purpose-built connectivity as a strategic necessity.