BAKER CITY — Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative is gearing up to begin its annual pole-testing program throughout the cooperative’s service territory, including Union County.

Osmose Utility Services, a contracted service with the cooperative, will begin inspecting and testing utility poles for strength and potential rot, determining and treating ailing poles. Testing, which is mandated by the Public Utility Commission, will begin the week of Monday, June 21, in Grant and Harney counties, then will move to Baker and Union counties over the next few months.

“Testing requires digging around our power poles and this means that in some instances Osmose employees will be working in OTEC member-owners’ yards and maybe even driving 4-wheelers across open fields testing each power pole.” said Jay Tanzey, OTEC superintendent of the Baker District.

Tansey said both OTEC and Osmose will both do their best to make contact with each property owner prior to work being started.

“If a rancher is out in the fields or a family isn’t home for one reason or another, we are just wanting to give a heads up that they will be working in the area,” he said.

OTEC’s power pole-testing program calls for each pole to be inspected and treated on a 10-year cycle. Approximately 10% of the system is inspected each year to identify any poles that need to be replaced and to extend the lives of those poles that remain in service. OTEC maintains more than 44,000 poles, so around 4,400 poles will be tested this summer.

“This inspection helps to safely maintain reliability and keeps costs down for our members,” Tanzey said.