ITC Midwest Conducting Aerial Patrols of Transmission Lines From Aug. 4-17
July 29, 2020 | ITC Midwest
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (July 29, 2020) – ITC Midwest will be conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory from approximately August 4 – 17, weather permitting. Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC Midwest.
Northern Iowa and southern Minnesota
The flights will be conducted in the Independence, Mason City and Lansing, Iowa areas as well as the Adams, Fairmont, Harmony, Jackson, Luverne, Sherburn and Winnebago, Minnesota areas. Counties in the aerial patrol areas include Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dickinson, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Howard, Kossuth, Mitchell, Osceola, Winnebago and Worth in Iowa as well as Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Nobles and Rock in Minnesota.
East Central/Southeast Iowa and Northwestern Illinois
The flights will be conducted in the Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Dubuque, Iowa City, Marengo, Marion, Palo and Vinton areas in Iowa as well as the Galena, Illinois area. Iowa counties in the aerial patrol areas include Benton, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones and Linn, as well as Carroll, Jo Davies, Rock Island and Whiteside in Illinois.
Central/Southeast Iowa and Northeast Missouri
The flights will be conducted in the Ames, Ankeny, Boone, Burlington, Dysart, Fort Madison, Gladbrook, Iowa Falls, Keokuk, Marshalltown, Newton, Ottumwa and Perry, Iowa areas as well as near Wayland, Missouri. Iowa counties in the aerial patrol areas include Adair, Appanoose, Benton, Boone, Cass, Dallas, Davis, Des Moines, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Henry, Jasper, Jefferson, Lee, Lucas, Mahaska, Marshall, Monroe, Polk, Poweshiek, Story, Tama and Wapello. In addition, aerial patrols will be conducted in Clark County, Missouri.
These patrols are a North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for ITC Midwest’s vegetation management program, support proactive maintenance objectives, and align with the company’s model for operational excellence. They include inspections of steel structures, wood poles, conductors (wires), insulators and other equipment. Crews check for damaged or worn equipment and vegetation hazards.
The inspection flights are often conducted at low altitudes to allow accurate visual inspection of equipment for lightning damage, wear or other potential problems. This is normal procedure, so there is no cause for alarm if a low-flying helicopter is sighted near transmission lines during the time frame listed above.
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About ITC Midwest
ITC Midwest LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission company. ITC Midwest operates nearly 6,700 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri, and holds utility status in Wisconsin. ITC Midwest is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and maintains regional operating facilities in Dubuque, Iowa City and Perry, Iowa; and Albert Lea and Lakefield, Minnesota. For further information visit WWW.ITC-HOLDINGS.COM. ITC is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information visit WWW.FORTISINC.COM.
Media Contact: Rod Pritchard (319-297-6840, RPRITCHARD@ITCTRANSCO.COM)