Orion poles get a check-up

19 September 2022 at 4:03 pm

Orion is undertaking a check-up of 4,500 power poles across Banks Peninsula, to identify those that will need to be replaced.

Orion General Manager of Electricity Network, Steve Macdonald says this is the most extensive pole inspection exercise the company has undertaken in this area in many years. The focus will be on untreated hardwood and larch timber poles that are reaching the end of their useful lives.

“The pole inspections will help us to identify which poles are coming up to end of life and need to be included in our pole replacement programme.

“Our aim is to replace those we need to, proactively, rather than put them under stress in bad weather, and risk unplanned outages when people least want the power to go off.”

Up to three crews will be out checking poles on all Orion’s lines between now and January next year.

Orion’s Banks Peninsula pole inspection process includes checking the pole top with a GoPro camera on a hot stick and minor digging to check the pole condition below ground.

There is no need for Orion to turn the power off during the inspections. Poles will be replaced as they are identified, and Orion says it will try to minimise the disruption to the community as this work is undertaken.

In some instances, the power may need to be turned off for safety purposes while the new poles are installed. Orion will notify those affected if this is the case.