Across Wheat Belt PPD’s electric system, thousands of wooden utility poles support the power lines that deliver electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout our service territory. While these poles are built to last decades, they are exposed to weather, soil conditions, insects, and natural aging. Because of this, regular inspection and testing is essential to ensure the reliability and safety of the electric system.
Each year we test approximately 5,500 wooden poles, representing roughly 10% of the poles in our distribution system. By testing a portion of the system annually, we maintain a continuous inspection cycle that helps identify potential issues early and allows us to proactively maintain our infrastructure.
Why Pole Testing Is Important
Wooden utility poles are strong and durable, often lasting 50–70 years when properly maintained. However, deterioration can occur over time due to moisture, fungi, or insect activity. In fact, much of the decay that weakens a pole occurs at or below ground level, where moisture and oxygen promote rot.
Because these changes happen inside the pole and underground, they are often not visible from the outside. Routine testing helps determine whether a pole remains structurally sound or if it should be treated, reinforced, or replaced before it becomes a safety risk.
Regular inspection programs also help utilities make better long-term investment decisions. Inspecting and maintaining a pole is far less expensive than replacing one prematurely, and identifying issues early helps prevent outages and maintain reliable electric service.
Using Advanced Technology to Evaluate Pole Condition
To complete this work efficiently and accurately, we have recently partnered with a contractor that utilizes advanced inspection technology called Polux 5. This technology allows technicians to analyze the structural condition of wooden poles and identify internal deterioration that cannot be seen from the outside.
The inspection process typically includes:
- GPS verification of the pole location
- Photographic documentation of the pole and equipment
- Non-destructive testing of the wood structure
- Digital data collection for long-term asset management
These modern tools measure how wood resists a small test probe or sensor, which provides information about wood density and potential decay inside the pole. These measurements allow inspectors to detect cracks, cavities, or rot within the pole and estimate its remaining structural strength.
All inspection data is digitally recorded and analyzed to help our engineering and operations teams determine the best course of action.
Data-Driven Decisions for a Stronger Electric System
The data collected through our annual pole inspection program provides valuable insight into the condition of our distribution system. By reviewing inspection results each year, our team has the ability to identify poles that require replacement, and apply preventative treatments to extend pole life.
This data-driven approach helps us maintain a safe and reliable electric system while making responsible use of public power resources. In 2025 our team completed testing around the Lake McConaughy area as well as north of Lewellen and Oshkosh. 91 poles total were designated as “rotten” or needing to be replaced. This failure rate is well below the industry average of 4.6%. Our crews are actively replacing each of these poles and any other hardware that may need to be replaced. For the 2026 year we are slated to test much of the area in Deuel county north of Chappell and east of Lodgepole.
Investing in Reliability
Maintaining thousands of miles of electric infrastructure requires continuous planning and investment. Our annual pole testing program is one of the many ways we work behind the scenes to ensure the lights stay on for our communities.
By inspecting approximately 10% of our system each year, we maintain a proactive maintenance cycle that helps extend the life of our infrastructure, improve safety for our crews, and deliver reliable service to our customers.
For our customers, these inspections may simply look like a contractor walking from pole to pole along a road or field. But the information collected during those inspections plays a critical role in protecting the electric system that powers our communities every day.
By: Kurt Cleveland, Staking Technician