Taranaki residents can expect to see low-flying helicopters in December this year as Powerco inspects parts of its rural network in the region.
The work is part of a survey being undertaken by Powerco in which more than 36,000 power poles, lines and other associated hardware making up Powerco’s electricity network will be photographed.
It is not the first time this work has been conducted by Powerco. Similar pole-top photography surveys have taken place over four previous summers, and this latest survey aims to capture photos of any power poles not previously surveyed across Taranaki, as well as the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Manawatū.
The photographs enable Powerco to assess asset condition while also checking for potential issues such as trees growing into lines. If such issues are identified, work can take place to fix them before they cause power cuts.
The work in Taranaki is planned to take place from December 7 - 22, but may be extended in the event of bad weather. No flights will take place between December 23 and January 2.