Eversource's rapid pole helps restore power faster - WMUR Manchester
Eversource's rapid pole helps restore power faster in NH
Eversource's rapid pole helps restore power faster
Innovation developed in New Hampshire can keep lights on while repairs made
A broken utility pole could mean that people lose power for hours, but new technology is allowing Eversource to restore power faster than ever.
Eversource has replaced hundreds of broken poles this year in New Hampshire. But the utility has developed something called the trailered rapid pole, a temporary utility pole that can handle the electrical load until the broken pole is replaced.
"So far, they've shown that we've gotten the lights on quick," said Tim McHugh, manager of troubleshooters for Eversource.
To replace a broken pole, the turnaround time for a crew of four is several hours, at least. But with the rapid pole, which is powered by batteries, crews of two troubleshooters can arrive and have it ready to go in minutes.
For larger outages when transformers go out, Eversource also has a backfeed trailer with a generator.
"We can at least get the wire off the road and energized while all the crews are being gathered in and equipment on the way," McHugh said.
Eversource officials said the product could be used worldwide someday.
The idea was born in Milford, New Hampshire, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eversource crews were responding to car crash during a heat wave that knocked out power to hundreds. Workers started thinking about ways to get people back online faster.
"We realize that with COVID, outages went from a nuisance to having an economic impact on customers, so with everyone working from home, we knew that we had to get the lights going quickly and safely," McHugh said.
Eversource has had one rapid pole for about a year and has used it about 16 times. By the end of the year, the utility plans to have eight rapid poles placed regionally across the Granite State and another nine split between Massachusetts and Connecticut. All of New Hampshire's troubleshooters have already been trained to use them.
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