One of the unsung heroes of providing you with reliable power? The humble utility pole. In fact, we often hear members refer to them as phone or cable poles - despite the fact that the majority of the poles are owned and maintained by electric utilities.

Locally, Mid-Ohio Energy is responsible for more than 35,500 poles!

We rely on these poles to hold up our power lines and equipment through wind, ice, tree limbs, and more! To ensure the poles are fit to do this job, your co-op routinely conducts pole inspections throughout our system.

Over time, utility poles can wear down from the inside out. It's difficult to assess the integrity of most poles just by looking at them. Without regular check-ups, deteriorating poles would be more vulnerable to outages, safety risks, and emergency repairs.

That’s where professional inspection programs are beneficial. Pole inspectors can use tools and methods that check the pole’s strength from the inside and below ground, where decay often starts. Certain inspections can indicate how much life a pole has left. Depending on the results, poles may be able to be treated and reinforced instead of being replaced.

By properly identifying the condition of poles, we can analyze our system and determine the best ways to plan, budget, and prioritize line upgrade projects.

Ultimately, routine pole inspection programs mean you'll experience fewer problems during major weather events!

Osmose to conduct pole inspections in fall

Starting in September, contracted crews from Osmose will be working in several areas of our service territory to conduct pole inspections on behalf of the co-op. You may see their trucks, workers wearing safety vests and hard hats, and some digging at the base of utility poles. These inspections are routine, non-disruptive, and play a big role in helping us maintain a strong, safe system!

All Osmose crews will be carrying proper identification and will be working under the direction of the cooperative.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation while this work is underway. It’s all part of our continued commitment to providing safe and reliable power to the members we serve.