EPB News
EPB has formally become the first member of the Southeastern Quantum Collaborative (SQC) in an effort to hasten the transfer of quantum technology from the lab to the commercial sector. The SQC, which is headed by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is a strong regional coalition of government agencies, academic institutions, and business titans like IBM, D-Wave, and IonQ that are committed to making the Southeast a global center for quantum information science.
A Regional Powerhouse for Quantum Innovation
The goal of the SQC’s founding is to establish a comprehensive ecosystem that promotes the advancement of next-generation technology, national security, and workforce development. In an area that EPB president and CEO-elect Janet Rehberg refers to as “one of the most significant innovation opportunities of our time,” the collaborative aims to enhance regional leadership by uniting various stakeholders.
Technical oversight and utilizing its vast fiber-optic footprint to incorporate quantum infrastructure into practical applications are two of EPB’s main responsibilities within the cooperation. According to Dr. Rainer Steinwandt, Executive Director of the SQC and Dean of the UAH College of Science, partners like EPB are crucial because they offer the special infrastructure and “real-world deployment experience” required to introduce quantum instruments into the larger economy.
You can also read Stony Brook University US News: Drives US Quantum Strategy
Chattanooga’s Growing Infrastructure Advantage
Chattanooga’s standing as a destination for cutting-edge technology has been continuously growing. The nation’s first industry-led, commercially available quantum network was introduced in the city in 2023 as the EPB Quantum Network. To reduce obstacles for researchers and developers working on quantum communications and security, this fiber-optic network was created.
When the IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum computer is installed at the EPB Quantum Center in late 2026, it is anticipated that the momentum would hit a new high. With this deployment, the facility will become the first technological center in the US to provide integrated commercial access to a trapped-ion quantum computer and a local quantum network based on photonics.
The IonQ Forte Enterprise system is designed to deliver 36 algorithmic qubits, offering a high-performance setting for investigating intricate algorithms. Customers in and around Chattanooga will directly benefit from this integrated managed infrastructure, which will enable users to test quantum potential throughout a 600-square-mile service region.
Academic and Research Synergies
EPB joins the SQC to strengthen current partnerships. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), which joined the SQC this year, was the first American university to host a node on a commercial quantum network through EPB. Quantum communications research has advanced due of this relationship.
The recently established Institute for Quantum Innovation, a partnership headed by EPB and Vanderbilt University, further strengthens regional momentum. The goal of this institute is to increase engineering and research activities throughout the Southeast to maintain the region’s academic output in line with business demands.
You can also read UK’s SPOQC Satellite for Quantum Communications Research
From Grid Security to Economic Growth
EPB’s entry into quantum technology is an extension of its long history of invention rather than a brand-new endeavor. The utilities and Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory had previously worked together. This collaboration produced an R&D 100 Award-winning study that showed how automated power grids may be managed using quantum security mechanisms.
Direct integration of quantum-resilient communications and predictive maintenance algorithms into regional energy infrastructure is the aim of these continuing initiatives. By doing this, EPB hopes to duplicate its prior fiber-optic projects’ financial success. In its first fifteen years of operation, the company’s 100% fiber-to-the-home network which provides the fastest community-wide internet in the world generated an estimated $5.3 billion in economic effect and 10,000 employment.
The Future of the Quantum Economy
The SQC’s goal of generating new chances for economic expansion and technology-driven investment is unchanged as it grows. By moving quantum technologies from lab research to industrial-scale applications, the collaborative’s efforts are designed to benefit a variety of industries, including energy, logistics, and defense.
The Southeastern Quantum Collaborative now has a partner who can supply the operational know-how and physical connectivity needed to test these technologies in the field with EPB. As the IonQ system’s 2026 deployment draws near, Chattanooga is set to become a major hub for entrepreneurs seeking to implement game-changing innovations.
You can also read Oratomic and Caltech news: New QEC Cuts Qubit Needs to 10K
