People who live or travel along Black Mountain Road might have noticed people in cherry-picking equipment working on electrical poles.
Their task is part of Mohave Electric Cooperative’s line-hardening project. As of Tuesday afternoon, 27 of 46 power poles had been upgraded along the street from Miracle Mile east to the end of the road near the water tower.
New poles to support other local power transmission lines were installed previously from Highway 95 to Miracle Mile on Black Mountain as well as around Mohave High School, including Hancock Road.
“This is all about reliability,” said Zen Mocarski, MEC’s public affairs specialist.
Work in the area began in mid-March.
The system in that area is being made stronger. Dozens of tall, wooden power poles slowly are being replaced by new steel ones. There also is a polyurethane coating on the bottoms of the poles.
“If one of these poles tumbles, it won’t cause surrounding poles to fall,” said Terry Puryear, MEC’s public affairs and communications coordinator. “These poles are designed that way.”
MEC employees explained how the tall poles are changed over: The wires are carefully removed from the pole and spread out while the top of the pole is cut off and moved aside.
The bottom of the pole — which is underground — is dug up. A pole that’s 70 feet tall will have 9 feet of height underground, for example.
New poles can range from 50 to 70 feet high. Specific height depends on where the poles are situated, Mocarski said.
Puryear explained that the specially treated steel will take on a wood-toned patina once it ages.
Wood power poles have a life span of about 30 years — shorter if they are exposed to heavy winds — while steel poles tend to last up to 70 years.
Quality Line Co. is the contractor. MEC employees are assisting with the project.
The work isn’t disrupting power and is considered ongoing maintenance. Customers will not be charged anything extra in their monthly bills for the improvements, Puryear added.
About Sky Line Net Installations:
Sky Line Net Installations Inc. is a 100% independently owned Canadian Company. Specializing in design, engineering, supply and installation of sports and industrial barrier netting systems since 1980, we are considered the leaders in innovative design and performance throughout Canada. Our expertise allows us to match the best pole and line support materials along with the best foundation designs to the finest netting materials for our customer’s requirements anywhere in Canada.
In 2002 we became affiliated with Coastal Netting Systems in California. Coastal is recognized for their excellence in engineering and manufacturing of the finest steel poles for the netting industry in North America. We have hundreds of successful pole and netting systems in place in all types of environments. With decades of design engineering and field experience we stand behind our products and performance with the best warranties available.
Contact:
Phone: (604) 328 – 1474
Email: info@skynets.ca
Web: https://www.skynets.ca