The life of a pole: Greater Sudbury Hydro using new technology to test life of power poles

Greater Sudbury Hydro is trying out new non-destructivetechnology to see which power poles need replacing.

The utility company is working withOakvillecontractor, G-Tel Engineering on this pilot project,which measures the shell thickness of thewooden poles.

A box is placed at the ground line of the pole, saidMark Van DeRydt,engineering supervisor with Greater Sudbury Hydro.When the leveris pulled on the equipment, two special probes each insert two inches deep within the shell of the pole.

Theequipment takes two different measurements: insertion force and moisture content. "Those two[measurements] are very important to determine the strength remainingin apole," Van De Rydt said.

Even though the tests are necessary, Van De Rydt saidIt's alwaysa challenge to test the quality of power poles without tampering with them.

'Something we've kind of needed here.'

"This technology was implemented because it's known as non-destructive testing. Older styles of pole-testing actually involved taking a core sample of the pole. And then, examination of that sample was what somebody used to determine if it was rotting," he said.

"It'ssomething we've kind of needed here,but never [was] able to get our hands on it."

A total of 3,000 wooden poles will be tested throughoutGreaterSudbury Hydro coverage area.

Testing is currently underway inCapreol, Coniston, Falconbridge, SturgeonFalls and Cache Bay.

The average life of a wooden pole is between40- 50 years, Van De Rydtsaid,but extra loading on a pole may affect its strength, as well as destructive wood peckers.

Sudbury Hydro expects the testing to be finished by mid-October.