EPRI Value and Impact: Wood Pole Methodology Delivers Cost Savings
Bhavin Desai
Senior Program Manager
Transmission and Substations
Wood poles are used extensively to support both transmission and distribution class overhead lines.
Utilities periodically perform inspections to assess the current remaining strength of the pole and decide whether the pole should be replaced or maintained.
EPRI researchers sought to determine how inspection data could be used to improve pole fleet management and how inspection data from multiple utilities may be used to yield industry-wide insights
The Transmission Asset Management Analytics program developed an analytical methodology by working with wood pole data from 16 different utilities to better understand the influence of various factors on pole service life.
This analysis included data in a dozen separate files detailing approximately 1 million T&D wood poles inspected over 11 to 13 years.
Xcel Energy- “This model allows us to determine the projected age of various types of wood poles with and without retreatment and can be used to set up policies on treatments and/or where treatments would not work.”
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EPRI Model Informs Utility Wood Pole Fleet Management, Helps Increase Efficiency by Streamlining Asset Inspection Scheduling and Estimating Replacement Needshere