Ohio Edison to replace or repair more than 1,700 wooden utility poles
Ohio Edison, a FirstEnergy Corp. utility, plans to inspect 57,000 of its 561,000 wooden utility poles and replace or repair more than 1,700 poles as part of its annual inspection program.
The project, which will involve inspecting poles for signs of wear, insect infestation or damage from motor vehicle accidents, has a budgeted cost of approximately $4.5 million. Workers will reinforce, rather than replace, some poles.
“Poles are vital to the delivery of electricity to homes and businesses in our service area,” Kevin Sestak, vice president of operations at Ohio Edison, said. “Utility poles are in the elements 365 days a year and subject to damage from severe weather, falling trees, and traffic accidents. Over time, some poles need to be replaced to help maintain our system’s safety, reliability, and resiliency.”
All of the company’s wooden poles are inspected on a 10-year cycle. Year-to-date, Ohio Edison has inspected more than 45,000 wooden poles in the Youngstown/Warren, Mansfield/Marion, Springfield, Sandusky/Norwalk and Lorain/Elyria areas.
The remaining poles to be inspected include 4,800 poles in the Akron area, 5,300 in the Kent/Macedonia area, 1,600 in the Massillon area and 235 in the Medina area.
The inspections began in January and will continue throughout the year. Pole replacements and repairs are scheduled to be completed during the fall.
