Albuquerque, NM – PNM recently completed a project in the East Mountains that will help with reliability and outage restoration time in the area. A total of 15 wooden electric poles were completely replaced with lighter weight, longer lasting fiberglass poles, and a new recloser device replaced an older recloser on the line, which will allow PNM to detect faults on the line and clear faults faster to reduce outage time. The device will also assist in troubleshooting and help PNM crews identify a fault location faster.

The project took place in an inaccessible area of the Sandia Mountains near the Sandia Peak Ski Area, and involved months of planning and preparation before the replacement project could begin. Because of the remote location of this line, vegetation growth had to be cleared to ease construction efforts and to help prevent outages caused by trees. With the dry weather that New Mexico experienced this year those vegetation efforts were put on hold due to Stage 3 fire restrictions, which closed the Cibola National Forest. These restrictions delayed the project nearly four months, pushing construction into late fall.

Due to the terrain and time of year several special conditions had to be taken into consideration. Holes for the new pole had to be hand dug using pneumatic jackhammers, which were flown in by helicopter.  Line crews worked long days for two weeks digging the holes for 15 poles. The helicopter was used to fly in the majority of the new poles for placement, and five, four-man crews worked on the ground to complete the pole replacement. The helicopter was also used to fly the old poles out from the forest. 

“Utilities all over the country use helicopters for jobs like this,” said Derek Kastendieck, project manager for the project and program management with New Mexico Operations. “They provide a unique working platform with which to perform construction, maintenance, and inspection services, and can complete certain work faster and more efficiently than just a ground crew alone.”

The pole replacement project was completed in three days, a task that would typically take several weeks to complete in normal conditions. 

View a short video of the replacement project.

About PNM

With headquarters in Albuquerque, PNM is the largest electricity provider in New Mexico, serving 500,000 customers in dozens of communities across the state. PNM is a subsidiary of PNM Resources, an energy holding company also headquartered in Albuquerque. For more information, visit here.