MEEKER | Dan Francis reached out to the Herald recently, inquiring if we could investigate what the wires hanging through his back alley were for. Indeed, with the help of White River Electric Association’s Manager of Operations Brett Berthelson, we did just that.
Ever wondered which line is what on a pole like this? The top three lines are active electricity lines and carry 7,200 volts. Then there is a neutral wire, which is tied to the ground and balances the system. Below that, secondary wires carry 120 or 240 votes to homes and businesses. The rest of the lines are generally communication lines–telephone, cable, fiber, etc. Those are the responsibility of the company that installed them. ADRIENNE WIX PHOTO
These days many electric lines are buried rather than put on poles. While that frees up the sky for better sight lines, it does come with both a higher price tag and more difficulty to access in the case of a break, which can result in longer outages when it does occur. Let’s focus on the power lines hanging through our alleys for this article.
Berthelson explained the lines at the top of the pole–there are normally three that are active and carry 7,200 volts of electricity. The next line down is the neutral wire, it is tied to the ground and balances the system–last are the secondary wires. Secondary wires carry 120 or 240 volts of electricity to homes and businesses. Berthelson was very clear and proud about the fact that here in Meeker there are nearly zero idle power lines. We say nearly zero because things are constantly changing, but if there is one you suspect is idle, please contact WREA and bring it to their attention. In fact, on behalf of WREA, Berthelson would like to encourage the public to always feel free to reach out to them with any inquiries and potential hazards related to their power lines and poles at 970-878-5041.
Now we aren’t done quite yet with this line talk. You’ve probably noticed there are still more lines on these poles. These lower lines are communication lines, such as telephone, cable TV, and fiber optics which are the responsibility of the companies who installed them. They are not the responsibility of WREA, though the electric association is happy to check and point you in the right direction if you are concerned about them.
Berthelson referred to WREA as a “well oiled machine.” As I drove around town searching for messy tangles of wire like those I’ve seen in neighboring towns, I truly could not find anything of the sort.
If you aren’t sure how to show your appreciation to the men and women keeping our community powered, two specially designated days this month have you covered. April 18 is National Lineman Appreciation Day, and April 26 is National Administrative Professionals Day. The WREA Board of Directors have chosen to hold a BBQ on April 20 to celebrate both their WREA lineman and the administrative staff. It should be a full house, we reckon.
By ADRIENNE WIX – Special to the Herald Times
