SaskPower is continuing to inspect and maintain powerline infrastructure in the province, a major component is the upkeep of the over 1.2 million wooden power poles that make up a considerable portion of the electrical grid.

Over the course of this year SaskPower's Wood Pole Maintenance Program will facilitate the inspection of nearly 105,000 wood power poles, 1,000 of those in the northern part of the province will receive wildfire protection as part of the program.

During the inspection SaskPower crews will inspect for signs of damage, decay, and carpenter ant infestation, while taking steps to maintain and extend the service life of the wooden power poles. 

Wherever it is possible to do so damaged poles will be repaired or reinforced, with any that are too damaged to be safely repaired being marked for replacement.

SaskPower notes that the maintenance program can extend the service life of wooden power poles from 30 to 35 years to more than 60 years for less than $50 per unit, which is far more cost effective than the average of $3,000 to replace a wooden power pole.

Electrical service will remain uninterrupted as no outages are necessary for this work. Crews will be able to conduct their work within the utility right-of-way as much as possible but may occasionally need access to private property. 

SaskPower will attempt to make contact with landowners prior to crews accessing their land.

For more information, or to see the schedule of SaskPower’s Wood Pole Maintenance Program, visit saskpower.com/woodpoles.