NORTH COUNTRY, N.Y. (WFFF) - If you live anywhere from Peru and Ausable all the way to Plattsburgh, you might have heard construction on the powerlines. This is a part of NYSEG’s Transmission Investment Program aiming to bring power to homes and businesses in a safer way.
Corporate Communications Manager Ridge Harris says this project needed to be done.
“After several months of work, there’s new transmission lines installed and upgraded, replacing poles dating back to the 1930’s.”
Something added to the new lines is a protectant from dangerous weather conditions.
“Also important that this new pole includes a new static line which sits atop and further protects the system from lightning strikes.”
Harris says the team at NYSEG took their surroundings into consideration when constructing the new types of poles.
“They’re specially designed and colored and weathered to a brown to blend with the environment around it as opposed to the metallic steel poles, and also throughout you'll see the traditional wooden poles.”
One new feature to the poles in the North Country actually helps the creatures who used to inhabit them. Harris says this is something the company has been doing for a long time.
“Some of the poles actually have a structure on them to protect them from osprey bird nesting. So sometimes the osprey will nest on top of the lines, and throughout this project we’ve actually installed specialized equipment to kind of lure the birds to certain areas so that they’re nesting on those kind of decoy platforms rather than on top of the equipment.”
Harris adds that this project is a great reflection of their work in the area, residents can expect more expansions in the near future.
