Entergy Texas continues annual pole inspections to improve service reliability

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Entergy Texas works year-round to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure to improve service reliability to customers across Southeast Texas. Utility poles are a critical piece of equipment to providing power, and over time, poles can become weathered by forces of nature or even damaged by the public. For that reason, Entergy Texas performs an annual pole inspection to help identify poles that need to be reinforced or replaced.

“Our annual inspections help prevent repeated or extended outages, leading to a better experience for customers,” said Melanie Taylor, vice president of distribution operations at Entergy Texas. “Over the next few weeks, crews will inspect more than 43,000 poles spanning from Huntsville to Orange, which is essential to our mission of delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity to communities across Southeast Texas.”

Osmose Utilities Services, Inc., a specialist in its field, will perform the routine inspections and preventative maintenance work for Entergy Texas. During pole inspections, crews will thoroughly inspect poles for defects. Following a visual inspection, the poles are “sounded” with a hammer to find any internal voids or hollow cavities. Poles that show signs of internal or external decay are fully excavated to determine the extent of decay at the groundline. Osmose may reinforce some poles during the inspection, but poles identified as needing further maintenance will be reported to Entergy Texas for replacement at a scheduled time.

As crews begin inspections, it’s important to keep safety a priority. Whether you’re at home or on a worksite, remember to always avoid power lines. If you notice a potential hazard, please call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) and we’ll make sure it’s safe.