KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Consumers Energy says it is introducing yet another new strategy to improve the reliability of the electric grid in the Kalamazoo County area and around Michigan.
The energy provider has purchased 1,200 iron utility poles, a $3.5 million investment, to withstand the forces of mother nature and keep overhead power lines securely in place.
Consumers says the poles are stronger, lighter and longer lasting than their traditional wooden counterparts. They are engineered to resist fire and the effects of Michigan’s harsh weather, and they are not vulnerable to wood decay, woodpeckers, insects, or other wildlife.
(courtesy Consumers Energy)
The first iron poles are being delivered to the Kalamazoo, Greenville, and Tawas areas in Michigan. They will initially be installed at selected new construction sites that are accessible to bucket trucks, which are essential to reach and perform work on iron pole tops.
Following the first phase of implementation, installations will expand to other areas and replace existing wooden poles throughout the Consumers Energy service territory.
Iron poles are expected to last upwards of 80 years, which is approximately double the lifespan of a wood pole.
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