After five years of complaining and dealing with various different customer-service staff, Frederick Campbell says he has finally convinced Alectra to replace a “dangerous” and “severely rotten” utility pole on his property along Scanlon Avenue in Bradford.
In that time Campbell said he has been finding chunks of wood that fell from the top portion of the pole and landed in his yard — small at first, but more recently, they have been as long as his whole hand.
“The last bout of wind we had, we just about thought the top of that pole was going to snap off and the street light is attached,” he said, noting the risk to nearby residents, including children who play in the neighbourhood.
The electricity provider and owner of the pole, Alectra Utilities, confirmed that following the most recent complaint from Campbell on Monday, March 4, a crew member was sent to inspect the pole and take photos, which were later reviewed by the lines supervisor, and by the next day, a costumer service representative sent an email to Campbell confirming the need for replacement.
However, Ashley Trgachef, Alectra representative, explained the pole “is not an immediate safety risk to the public,” and could not confirm when the replacement would happen, but did say the utility is coordinating that timing with the town, since one of the municipality's streetlights is mounted to the pole.
“We are currently engaging with relevant staff to facilitate this process as efficiently as possible, with safety remaining our top priority,” Trgachef said via email.
Questions sent to town staff were not returned, but Ward 2 Coun. Jonathan Scott sent an email in which he explained the pole replacement is Alectra’s responsibility, and the town coordinates to re-install their streetlight.
“We have received complaints about the condition of some older utility poles on Scanlon Ave, and working with Alectra, the issue will be resolved in the coming weeks,” he said.
Despite multiple requests, Alectra refused to answer questions about when the pole was last certified, how long they have recorded complaints about the pole, what the inspection process entails, what type of replacement pole will be used, and why it took five years from when complaints allegedly began for Alectra to agree to the replacement.
Campbell recalled a technician being sent out back in 2019; they inspected the pole’s integrity by hammering a screw driver into the base and determining it was still solid.
Last week’s inspection involved an even less detailed test, according to Campbell, who said the technician simply hit the pole with a hammer and determined it was still good.
Campbell said he explained to the technician that the problem isn’t with the base of the pole but the top, from which pieces are noticeably missing.
Only then did he recall the technician looking up at and taking notice of the damaged portion.
Each year, the utility inspects about one third of their poles and invests “nearly $300 million” to renew aging equipment, according to Trgachef, with replacement of this pole and others in the area having previously been flagged for 2024.
She did not answers questions about how many other poles were included nor on which streets.
“We appreciate the co-operation of all parties involved in bringing this matter to our attention. We are actively working towards a resolution in a safe and timely manner,” Trgachef said.
In the meantime, Campbell is happy his safety concerns have been “validated.”
“It feels absolutely incredible that I’m no longer second guessed and stepped over,” he said.
Alectra serves about one million homes and businesses across a 1,924-square-kilometre service area comprising 17 communities. The Alectra family of companies includes Alectra Inc. (Mississauga), Alectra Utilities Corporation (Hamilton) and Alectra Energy Solutions (Vaughan).
For more information, visit alectrautilities.com.