ITC Conducting Aerial Patrols of Transmission Lines in Southeastern Michigan
NOVI, Mich., May 11, 2015 – ITC will be conducting its semi-annual aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission towers and lines in southeastern Michigan from approximately May 18 to May 29, weather permitting. The helicopter patrols are conducted to provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system that is operated by ITC’s Michigan operating entities, ITCTransmission and Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (METC).
The aerial inspections in southeast Michigan will cover the area from Lansing, south to the Ohio border and east to the Lake St. Clair area, including all or parts of Ingham, Jackson, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Wayne and Monroe counties.
These twice-a-year patrols are a North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for ITC’s operations, maintenance and vegetation management functions and are in line with ITC’s model for operational excellence. They include inspections of steel towers, 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. The flights began in western Michigan on May 4 and will cover nearly all of the Lower Peninsula, concluding in northern Michigan approximately June 26.
ABOUT ITC MICHIGAN
In Michigan, operating entities ITCTransmission and Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (METC) serve most of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
ABOUT ITCTransmission:
International Transmission Company (d/b/a ITCTransmission) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission company. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITCTransmission owns, operates and maintains approximately 2,800 circuit miles of transmission lines in southeast Michigan, serving a population of 5.1 million.
ABOUT METC:
Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (METC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission company. Based in Novi, Michigan, METC owns, operates and maintains approximately 5,600 circuit miles of transmission lines in the western and northern portions of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, serving 4.9 million people.
Media Contact: Joe Kirik (248.946.3478 JKIRIK@ITCTRANSCO.COM)