OUT: Wooden transmission line poles.

IN: Light-duty steel transmission line poles!

From Pacific Gas and Electric:

This week, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) contract crews are conducting inspections on foot along an electric transmission line that runs through Eureka in order to improve electric reliability for its customers in Humboldt and Trinity Counties.

Contract crews working for PG&E will survey the circuit and the environment, conduct field studies on facilities and vegetation, and perform other minor construction work along the line in preparation of pole replacements. Crews may need to access private property in the area to complete the work.

Customers whose property may be accessed have been notified but they are located in (west to east) Eureka, Maple Creek and Hyampom; northeast to Big Bar and east through Junction City to Weaverville. Foot patrols will occur 7 days a week between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. However, weather and other factors affecting safe working conditions may impact the work schedule.

Foot patrols are necessary before the project of replacing 90 wooden poles with light duty steel transmission towers. Whenever possible, crew members will introduce themselves at their location and answer any questions about the inspections. Contractors in the field will be wearing orange vests and always carry photo identification cards. Vehicles will also have placecards on dashboards (see picture).
If customers have questions about personnel or want to check for PG&E’s presence in the community, please call at 1-800-743-5000.

Foot patrols will continue through September 6, 2017 and then the pole replacement work / heavy construction work can begin. That work includes things like hand digging holes, etc.

And PG&E adds:

In addition to the foot patrols explained in the press release, PG&E will be flying a helicopter along the line – just tomorrow – for the same reasons below – from Eureka to Weaverville.  We are contracting the helicopter through Air Shasta but I don’t know the type or color of it.  It will leave Redding by 10 a.m. and will be done inspecting the area along the line by 3 p.m. tomorrow.

This is a survey flight to get an aerial view of our electric transmission line before this work of replacing 90 wooden poles can begin.

The next time another helicopter will fly for this work – along this line- will be after September 15th.  I should send out another press release for that.

PG&E workers will have a placard that looks like this.