MONROE COUNTY – ITC Holdings Corp., an independent electric transmission company based in Novi, is conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission lines in several counties, including Monroe County, through May 31 and again June 11 through 14.
“The helicopters will fly lower than normal near the transmission lines during these inspections, which is not a cause for concern for residents of the area,” said Nina Scarpelli, a public relations officer working at ITC.
“The helicopter patrols are conducted to provide a general status of the overhead transmission system operated by ITC’s operating entities in Michigan, ITCTransmission and Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (METC),” according to a press release from ITC Holdings Corp . “These patrols are a requirement of the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation for ITC’s vegetation management program, support proactive maintenance objectives and are aligned with the company’s operational excellence model. They include inspections of all transmission structures and equipment, including, but not limited to, monopoles , steel towers, wooden poles, conductors (wires), insulators and other equipment.”
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Crews check for damaged or worn equipment and vegetation hazards. The inspection flights are often conducted at low altitudes to allow close visual inspection of equipment for lightning damage, wear and tear or other potential problems, the release said.
For more information about ITC, visit itc-holdings.com.
This article originally appeared in The Monroe News: Helicopters check power lines in Monroe County
