Old poles replaced with new ones

Several hundred aging power poles will be replaced with new ones in the Vernon area this year.

It’s part of ongoing maintenance by BC Hydro which will replace more than 8,000 wooden poles across B.C. in 2019, including 223 in Vernon.

“The average lifespan of a wooden power pole is 40 to 50 years, with many lasting much longer. In fact, more than 10 per cent of BC Hydro’s poles are more than 50 years old,” says a release from Hydro.

The utility says one of the oldest poles in the province is located in the Southern Interior and has been in operation since 1931 – eight years before the Second World War began.