Power Pole Attachments and Safety
Telecom, cable TV and internet companies are allowed to attach equipment to Minnesota Power poles and “share” the poles through pole attachment agreements and rules created by the Federal Communications Commission, but only when they do so in a safe manner and in compliance with those agreements.
Some pole attachments, including those attached without permission and/or without meeting engineering and safety standards for our region, pose a safety and power outage threat to our customers, the public, our employees and our infrastructure.
Minnesota Power’s responsibility is to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers while upholding state and federal standards and laws that protect the energy grid and the public.
Our response
Repeated attempts to work with certain telecom, cable and internet providers to remedy these safety concerns have failed.
As a result, Minnesota Power plans to remove equipment that does not meet standards and laws on more than 200 poles beginning in August. This work is needed to ensure safe and reliable electric service and may result in a loss of telecom, internet or cable TV service for residents and businesses “downstream” from the points of removal.
While Minnesota Power’s main priority in this process is to ensure safe and reliable electric service for our customers, we will work with telecom, cable and internet providers to limit outages for their customers as much as possible.
We hope the telecom, cable and internet companies respond quickly to address the hazards and get their customers back in service, as we all recognize the loss of these services can be a major inconvenience. If you experience a loss of service, we encourage you to reach out to your telecom, cable or internet provider and ask them to install safe attachments in compliance with regulations. We will continue to work with companies in the region to ensure that pole attachments are designed and attached in compliance with safety standards.
Safety and Reliability Hazards
Non-compliant or improperly installed equipment poses significant safety and reliability hazards to Minnesota Power poles and other infrastructure. They also create safety hazards for customers, communities and the environment, including the threat of wildfires.
Equipment installed by providers that does not meet state and federal regulations increases the likelihood of prolonged power outages for our customers.
EXAMPLES OF CURRENT SAFETY
ISSUES ON SHARED POWER POLES IN
MINNESOTA POWER’S TERRITORY
