Pole Replacement is Essential

By Bobby Schaller, MultiMedia Manager

One hundred years ago, utility poles and power lines were a rare sight. A “unicorn,” if you will. These days, folks don’t typically pay much attention to the towering structures. Lining most roads and driveways, they have become as commonplace as, well, the lightbulb. And that’s just fine, because that’s our job. It is our business to pay very close attention to our utility poles. We hold them in the highest regard, as these poles are essential to a reliable and safe electrical system for our members and for life as we know it here in 2023.

Throughout the year, our crews constantly patrol and inspect thousands of utility poles. A pole can/could have a lifespan of 50 years. Add in unforeseen circumstance, like weather, and it’s always the right time for a pole replacement somewhere on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

The photo at the top shows our Cambridge crew working on a complicated dual-circuit pole change in early January. With our ever-growing broadband and electrical grids, this change is just one of many we will be performing throughout the year and well into the future. 

A standard pole change takes approximately two hours. These usually coincide with a planned outage. Members affected will receive a phone call a few days prior to give them a heads-up. Please know that planned outages are a necessary part in bringing reliable and affordable electricity to all of our members.