Electric Lightwave readies expansion worth $120 million.

Electric Lightwave Inc. has begun a $120 million expansion that will extend the Vancouver, Wash., company's private fiber-optic networks to nine cities over the next three years.

The plan calls for development of fiber networks in three new cities each year. Electric Lightwave now operates in the Portland and Seattle metropolitan areas. By the end of this year, Electric Lightwave will have pushed into Phoenix, Sacramento and Salt Lake City. San Diego is on the boards for 1994, but no other cities have been selected yet, said John Warta, Electric Lightwave president and chief executive officer.

The rapid growth is expected to add from 100 to 150 employees to Electric Lightwave's payroll by year-end, said Warta. About 30 percent of those will be in Vancouver with the rest divided …