Utility poles are a familiar part of the landscape across REC's service territory. They support the system that powers homes, farms, schools, and businesses.
But poles do much more than hold wires. Depending on their location, they may carry electric lines, fiber-optic cable and communications equipment. They can also support transformers that lower voltage, insulators that separate energized wires, and protective devices such as fuses, cutouts, switches and surge arresters. Together, this equipment helps REC deliver power safely, isolate problems and restore service.
Because poles support so much critical infrastructure, replacing aging or damaged poles is an important part of REC's reliability work.
Poles are designed to last for decades, but weather, insects, moisture and changing ground conditions can weaken them. During high winds, heavy rain, ice or severe storms, a deteriorated pole can break, bringing down lines, damaging equipment and causing outages.
"Replacing poles before they fail is one of the most practical ways we can strengthen the grid, protect our crews and improve reliability for members," said Kevin Pories, Senior Director - Operations and Construction.
Planned replacements are also generally more efficient than emergency repairs, which may require urgent crew response, additional materials and longer restoration times. In the first five months of the year, crews replaced 2,382 wood poles in 2026 and installed 28 ductile iron poles in locations where added reinforcement was needed.
Fiber projects and broadband partnerships have helped advance this work. Installing fiber often requires larger or taller poles to provide safe clearance below power lines. Fiber leasing and pole-attachment revenue also help offset improvement costs, while communications equipment supports system monitoring and faster outage response. This program has provided for 10,600 pole replacements since 2022.
With all that potentially rests on each of the thousands of poles replaced each year, this work is a critical part of REC's comprehensive approach to maintaining reliability.
