IDAHO FALLS – Idaho Falls Power will begin a routine process to test the structural integrity of power poles on the west side of Idaho Falls on Thursday, Sept. 8.

A contractor for the utility expects to test the wooden poles owned by Idaho Falls Power through the end of the month. During this process, the contractor will need to access backyards with power poles to take their samples for testing.

“We want to appreciate everyone’s patience as our contractor conducts this work to ensure our utility infrastructure can continue to provide reliable and affordable service,” said Idaho Falls Power General Manager Bear Prairie. “We strive to provide industry-leading reliability of service but also want to limit property access disruptions as much as possible in the process of inspecting our equipment.”

When testing the power poles that are not accessible in public areas, the contractor will first knock on the door to notify the property owner. The process should be quick and have little to no impact on neighbors and traffic. The inspection will not cause a disruption of service or landscaping.

Idaho Falls Power anticipates the collection process for the selected power poles West of Interstate 15 to be completed around the end of September. As a natural material, wooden power poles inevitably need this detailed inspection around every 10 years for safety and reliability purposes.

Those with questions or concerns are asked to contact Idaho Falls Power at (208) 612-8430.

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Media Note: For more information, please contact City of Idaho Falls Public Information Officer Eric Grossarth at (208) 612-8562 or [email protected].