Electricity transmission company to conduct helicopter patrols of transmission lines in Eastern Iowa

Lang
6/4/23

An electricity transmission company will be conducting helicopter patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines in Eastern Iowa in the coming days.

ITC Midwest says starting this week, helicopter patrols will provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by the company.

The flights will be conducted in and around Johnson, Linn, Cedar, Poweshiek and Jones counties, among others.

ITC Midwest says the patrols are a North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for the company’s vegetation management program and they support proactive maintenance objectives. The flights will include the inspection of vegetation in the vicinity of transmission structures, wood poles, conductors (wires), insulators and other equipment.

The inspection flights are often conducted at low altitudes to facilitate accurate visual inspection of vegetation hazards. ITC Midwest says this is normal procedure, so there is no cause for alarm if a low-flying helicopter is sighted near transmission lines.

The patrols begin Tuesday, and should wrap up by June 20th.