This isn’t a pic of HavertowniesHQ’s basement. We swear.
Chris Rock joked his only job as a dad was to keep his daughter “off the pole.” Seeing that PECO pole inspectors are usually of the male persuasion, we’re guessing he doesn’t mean utility poles…
Haverford Township will have a bunch o’ pole workers in the area though. Every PECO pole (south of the Merion-Infernal-Buzzing-Goodyear-Blimp Club) will be inspected in the next 4 weeks.
We emailed some Q’s to a PECO dude (named Greg Smore. Yum.) and here are his A’s:
What is the projected schedule for Haverford Township?
Work is currently in progress within the township and will continue for the next two to four weeks. The timeline for this work is dependent on weather and also may occur on Saturdays.
Are there specific roads PECO will be targeting?
We will be inspecting poles on all roads within the township, south of Merion Golf Club.
Are the workers going to look at every single pole in the township?
We will only be inspecting PECO-owned poles.
What are the criteria on which they will be judging the pole’s safety and effectiveness?
We evaluate each pole based on our wood pole inspection standards and procedures, in conjunction with the National Electric Safety Code.
Can we expect any street closures?
No road closures will be in effect for this work.
What can our residents do to help either PECO or the workers that will be coming?
Some poles are located in backyards behind locked fences or gates. If that is the case, our contractors will request access to inspect the poles. Please note that they should be able to show you a contractor ID badge.
Where can our residents email or call now to report on specific poles they are concerned about?
Customers can call the PECO customer care center at 1-800-494-4000. Customers should be able to provide the address or nearest cross street along with a description of the issue or concern.
-courtesy of Greg Smore, PECO Dude.
Here’s the Businesswire.com article, dated Jan 19, 2016:
PECO Inspecting 39,000 Poles to Ensure Reliable Electric Service
Program to enhance electric service for about 222,000 customersPHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PECO will inspect more than 39,000 utility poles throughout Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties this year as part of the company’s commitment to deliver safe, reliable, affordable and clean energy services for customers. Part of $2.2 million in preventive maintenance work, the inspections will continue through the spring.
“Preventive maintenance programs help reduce the frequency and duration of outages, and improve the performance of our entire system, keeping our customers and crews safe.”
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Inspections include a visual examination of poles and the electrical equipment attached, taking samples from the interior of poles and excavating around the base to check for decay. Any necessary repairs and replacements would then be performed. PECO maintains more than 390,000 poles across the region and each pole is inspected every 10 years in accordance with the National Electric Safety Code, benefitting the company’s more than 1.6 million electric customers.“Continuous inspection, repair and replacement of equipment on our electric system is critical to ensuring safe and reliable service for our customers,” said John McDonald, vice president of Technical Services. “Preventive maintenance programs help reduce the frequency and duration of outages, and improve the performance of our entire system, keeping our customers and crews safe.”