By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Copper thefts from Farmers RECC utility poles threaten the reliability of the power grid, the safety of line workers and the safety of the thieves themselves.
Farmers RECC serves parts of Adair, Barren, Edmonson, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Hart, Larue, Metcalfe, Monroe, and Warren counties and recently stated they are experiencing “a string of copper thefts.” Copper wires on utility poles to ground them and “protect them from lightning strikes,” without the grounds the power grid is more susceptible to failures, the energy cooperative stated.
“Finding which poles have been burglarized is a challenge all its own,” a Farmers RECC press release stated. “Our line workers work diligently every day to make sure our system is in good working order, and the extra time they have to spend repairing poles that otherwise were in good shape puts a strain on them and the system. Climbing a pole to fix an issue is part of the job. Fixing damage done by thieves is an extra job for our team that just isn’t necessary.”
“Copper theft can do serious damage to our grid,” the press release stated.
Farmers RECC advises people to report unusual activity to them and to the authorities.
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