2005 line work at Letwin Road

At our April 26th, 2005 board meeting, Dave Finlay, the FortisAlberta representative, informed us of a line move they intend to make at the Letwin Road, about two miles north of Highway 637.  The Board was given copies of maps showing the details of the move.  Costs for the Bruderheim REA will be primarily for the installation of wire  for a new span between two existing poles, and for the removal of a transformer pole that is no longer in use and carries neither equipment nor wires.  The transformer pole to be removed is just at the north end of the piece of line in question and one span west of the road, where the FortisAlberta power line continues north along Letwin Road. 
   The end result will be more reliable service and a slight improvement to our plant.  There will be some salvage costs and also some costs for the upgrade to our line.  The total cost arte expected to be in the order of around $2,000 or perhaps a little more.

Dave Finlay had brought two printouts for the discussion of the work that needs to be done.  The following are excerpts from those printouts that illustrate the work that needs to be done.  The two excerpts were reduced in size and are not at the scale of the originals.  The excerpts shown here have been enhanced a little to maintain legibility.  Following the excerpts from the printouts are photographs of the location and circumstances of concern.

The reason for the line move is that  a few spans of the existing line (owned by FortisAlberta) run east of a fairly large slough.  Apparently the range road got constructed straight through the slough at some time after the power line had been built.  The old road around the east-side of the slough is still apparent but is at times, in wet years, impassable.  The location of those spans makes it difficult to do maintenance and repairs.  The problems caused by that can be alleviated by:

1. Constructing a few spans of line along the west-side of the road, right up to where the line presently crosses the road to continue north.
2. Installing wire from the pole at that location by the road to the pole east of there, where the existing tap crosses the fence line and runs to the existing transformer pole in the yard just north of the fence line.
3. Installing two guy wires on that pole, one extending east along the fence line and the other south towards the adjoining field.  That pole is presently a tangent pole.  Under the intended arrangement that pole becomes an end pole for two spans.
4. Removing the transformer pole west of the Letwin Road at that location, as that pole serves no purpose and needs to be removed.
5. Removing the brush and trees along the fence line, under the new span to be constructed for the Bruderheim REA.

Matt Nalesnik, FortisAlberta field design specialist for distribution projects, called and asked that someone meet with him on May 4th at the location where the line move is to take place.  A representative of the Bruderheim REA went to meet him and took a few photos at the location.

The line running from the pole visible at the left of the photo presently serves the yard just north from where the photo was taken and will be removed. The Letwin Road is visible in the photo, where it runs through the poplar bluff at the south-end of the slough, at horizon at the right of the photo.

This photo was taken looking east from the road along the fence line.  The pole visible at the upper right of the photo is the one that needs to be be equipped with guy wires.  The line running south from that pole (to the right in the photo) will be removed.  A new span of wire will be installed from that pole to the pole at the road.  The brush and trees under that new span will be removed down to the ground level.  The owner of the service asked that all of the trees along the fence line in that span be removed.  Extra work, over and above what is necessary to clear the right of way, will be paid by the owner.  Arrangement to that extent will have to be made between the the owner and the brushing contractor.

The pole just barely visible in the photo (half-way up the photo at the right side of the opening in the brush at the right side of the photo) is the transformer pole north of the pole at the fence line.

The pole visible at the left side of the photo is at the west-end of the new span to be constructed.  The trees visible in the photo will be cut down to ground level.

This photo was taken from the Letwin Road, looking west. The pole carrying the line is owned by FortisAlberta and will become a tangent pole for the line going north from that pole and to be extended straight to the south.  The second, lighter-coloured pole to the left and behind the Fortis-owned pole is owned by the Bruderheim REA.  That pole is to be removed.  Presently a cost of $684.80 is estimated for the pole removal.  Given that there is nothing on the pole, not even guy wires, that seems to be a bit steep.)

Here is a photo, looking south, of the whole expanse of the slough on the east-side of Letwin Road that is causing the work.  The existing power line runs along the left side (at the far-left of the photo) of the slough.  The new line will run along the right side of the road.

At the time of the inspection, Johnny Letwin, the brother and representative of the owner of the land on which the new, short span of our line is to be constructed, was seeding on a quarter of land close by.  He was told about the circumstances of the construction work on his land.  He gave permission to do the brushing.  He was very cooperative and felt that he would not put anything into the way of providing safe and reliable power where it is needed.

Matt Nalesnik of FortisAlberta was contacted after that to let him know about the outcome of that discussion.  Matt stated that a more detailed cost estimate will be provided in short order.

Line Work completed

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Posted 2005 05 17
Updates:
2005 12 09 (added report on completion of work)