July 20, 2015 – SaskPower has begun its annual inspection and maintenance on wood power poles in several areas of the province.

The utility said work crews are inspecting nearly 70,000 poles in the Yorkton, Humboldt and Melville areas for decay, carpenter ant infestation and mechanical damage, from now until fall, weather permitting.

“Saskatchewan contains 1.2 million power poles; that’s more than there are people,” said SaskPower’s Mike Strykiwsky, manager of distribution assets. “Our Wood Pole Test and Treat Program can allow us to double the life expectancy of a pole. We want to keep the public and our employees safe, and this program helps us keep these poles standing up to some of the more extreme weather we have in Saskatchewan.”

Wood pole maintenance costs approximately $50 per pole on average, while replacement costs are $2500 per pole, SaskPower said, adding that without periodic maintenance efforts, the life expectancy of a pole may be as short as 25 to 30 years. Through SaskPower’s maintenance program, that life expectancy can extend to more than 65 years, according to the utility.