A NEW CONCRETE UTILITY POLE, set on South Harpswell Road in Harpswell last month, is being evaluated as part of a larger initiative to enhance the reliability of Central Maine Power Co.’s electric distribution system, utility officials said.
Central Maine Power Company Company has installed its first concrete utility pole.
The new pole, set on South Harpswell Road just before Lookout Point Road in Harpswell last month, is being evaluated as part of a larger initiative to enhance the reliability of CMP’s electric distribution system, utility officials said.
Other elements of that program — including more frequent line inspections, equipment upgrades and a five-year tree trimming cycle — have been in place for the past five years.
Concrete utility poles have a strong track record for their ability to withstand wind, ice, heavy snow, and other harsh conditions, and could potentially help CMP to enhance system reliability, according to Joe Purington, director of electric distribution at CMP.
“Concrete poles have been used extensively in the southeast and in Ontario,” Purington said. “They have a lifetime warranty, require no maintenance, and offer excellent resiliency in all weather conditions, so we thought it was time to give them a try here.”
The poles are built by StressCrete Group, which has operations in Alabama, Kansas and Ohio as well as Ontario, Canada. They can be manufactured according to a utility’s specifications, and their steel-reinforced spun concrete construction makes them particularly durable.
Many of the poles set in Canada during the 1950s are still standing.
“We will watch the performance of this pole over time,” Purington said. “These poles are worth looking at, considering the harsh weather we experience in our service area.”
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