Wade Rahn

Every time you flip a switch, charge your phone, or enjoy a warm home on a chilly Nebraska night, you have our linemen to thank. On April 14th, we proudly celebrate Linemen Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to honoring the hard work, dedication, and skill of the men and women who keep the lights on in our communities.

Linemen confront the elements head-on, working tirelessly through storms, extreme temperatures, and challenging conditions to ensure reliable electricity for our customers. Whether responding to outages in the middle of the night, maintaining power lines, or ensuring our electrical system operates smoothly, their work is essential to our daily lives.

As a public power district, we take great pride in our linemen and their commitment to our communities. They are more than just employees; they are our neighbors, friends, and family members who put service above themselves to power our homes, businesses, and farms.

We invite you to join us in expressing gratitude to these dedicated professionals. A simple “thank you,” a wave when you see them in the field, or a note of appreciation can go a long way. You can also share your messages of appreciation on our Facebook page to help us recognize their incredible contributions.

On April 14th, let’s take a moment to celebrate and honor our linemen for their dedication, hard work, and sacrifices. From all of us at PCRPPD, we express our heartfelt gratitude to our linemen for their unwavering commitment to powering our communities. Thank you for everything you do!

Providing safe and reliable electric service is PCRPPD’s top priority.  Sometimes, trees make this difficult.  Trees are one of the significant causes of power outages in areas with overhead utility lines.  When trees contact live wires, they become conductors of electricity, causing power outages or creating dangerous situations for anyone coming in contact with the trees.

PCRPPD works hard to maintain its right of way near overhead lines to provide safe and reliable electrical service.  Although PCRPPD would prefer that no trees be planted within our right of way with overhead lines or within ten feet of our underground transformers, you can help by using the following guidelines when planting trees near overhead lines.

And, of course, before you plant, call 811 at least three business days in advance to have your underground utilities marked.

Tree selection and planting

When selecting trees to plant on your property, you should consider the tree’s mature height when determining a suitable planting location.  Native species often grow better with fewer insect and disease problems than non-native trees.  For areas near houses and overhead utilities, there are three tree-height zones, as follows:

Low:  The low height zone extends 15 feet on either side of overhead wires.  Plant only large shrubs and small trees with mature heights of 20 feet or less within this area.

Medium:  To accommodate the width of taller trees, the medium height zone begins at least 15 feet from all utility lines.  Select trees that grow 40 feet or less for planting within this zone.

Tall:  The tall height zone begins at least 35 feet from buildings and 65 feet from utility lines.  Trees that grow taller than 40 feet are suitable for planting in this area.

Like most public power districts in Nebraska, Polk County RPPD conducts annual pole inspections. We test approximately 2,500 poles in our distribution system each year, taking about eight years to inspect the entire district.

During the inspections, the technicians perform a visual examination, followed by testing the pole ground, if applicable, to ensure it meets specifications. Next, they take a core sample by boring two 3/8″ holes 90 degrees apart and at a 45-degree angle to the center of the pole to check for decay. If everything checks out, the pole is treated with an external paste wood preservative, and all core sample holes are plugged with a wood plug. If the pole fails the inspection, it is tagged for replacement. The inspectors use a grading scale to determine whether a pole passes or fails and how urgently it needs remediation. If they find a pole needing immediate attention, they notify the operations department, and the replacement is prioritized.

In 2023, we tested poles in township and range 16N-3W & 15N-3W, with repairs completed in 2024. In 2024, we inspected in township and range 14N-3W and 13N-3W, totaling 2,500 distribution poles, with repairs planned for 2025.

The costs for the 2024 distribution pole inspections & tests were approximately $90,000. Additionally, we need to carry out repairs, which average about $85,000, bringing the total to $175,000 annually.

We also must test our transmission system poles. In 2024, we inspected 188 structures at a cost of $12,000, with repairs scheduled for this year.

Pole inspection is a lot like servicing your equipment. You may not always see the value, but neglecting it can lead to greater expenses in the future. These inspections are essential for ensuring the system’s safety and reliability.