As part of its ongoing maintenance, BC Hydro will be replacing more than 8,000 wooden power poles across the province this year including just over 200 in Williams Lake.
“The average lifespan of a wooden power pole is 40 to 50 years, with many lasting much longer,” BC Hydro said in an information bulletin.
“Adverse weather, insects and wildlife all contribute to the deterioration of the poles over time, which results in them needing to be replaced.”
More than 10 percent of BC Hydro’s poles are more than 50 years old, with one of the oldest utility poles located in Northern BC in operation since 1937.
BC Hydro has about 900,000 wooden poles that hold more than 58,000 kilometers of overhead distribution lines and 278,000 overhead transformers across the province.
“To ensure the safety of our crews and the public, BC Hydro may need to disconnect power when replacing aging power poles,” BC Hydro said.
“Crews will notify customers in-person, or by mail or phone about these scheduled outages for maintenance.”