Seeing KPUD linemen hanging from power poles with long orange sticks in their hands is becoming a familiar sight in Klickitat County. These highly-trained linemen are working on “hot” or energized lines - lines they definitely don’t want to touch with their bare hands! Instead, the orange sticks, or hot sticks, take the place of hands-on work.

Made from non-conducting fiberglass, these hot sticks act as insulators. Linemen attach various accessories to the hot sticks, depending on the job that needs to be done. For example, if cotter pins which hold parts together need to be removed, the lineman attaches the correct tool or accessory to the hot stick to complete this job. The hot stick does the intricate work, controlled by the lineman’s hand, so that the lineman is never in direct contact with the lines being manipulated.

The KPUD construction line crew works on energized lines 75 percent of the time, according to crew member Journeyman Lineman Rob Rising. The reason, Rob says, is to prevent long outages which disrupt people’s lives. This specialized line crew often works on the construction of new electric transmission and distribution lines and equipment. They also work on maintenance of existing power lines. The work can often take from several days to weeks to complete. KPUD’s other two line crews in White Salmon and Goldendale work primarily on bringing service to homes and businesses.

When the construction line crew worked on a power pole in Ekone Park in Goldendale, they redirected the lines from a vertical to a horizontal position, using hot sticks. The lines were carefully moved and attached to a horizontal cross arm to run side by side rather than being stacked, as in the vertical position. In winter, snow loads on stacked lines can make them sag and could cause power problems. The circuits on this pole feed Bickleton Highway, Bickleton, Roosevelt, and the Landfill Gas Plant. There is also a circuit that feeds the north part of downtown Goldendale on the same pole. The long-range plan is to install a new feeder from this location that will go underground toward Satus Pass.

The job at Ekone was complicated and had to be carefully planned, as switching from vertical to horizontal was a new procedure for the crew. The job was scheduled to last several days, so the crew elected to do the work “hot.” Otherwise customers would have been out of power several hours a day, several days in a row during this project.

Kip Graves, construction line crew foreman, says state and federal laws regulate work on energized lines. Linemen must know how to apply the regulations. “These are good laws,” Kip adds. “They are designed to keep us safe.” All KPUD line crews attend hot stick school in the Tri-Cities area. The emphasis is on safety.

“The union is also strict about these safety regulations,” says Rob.

KPUD construction crewmembers also include Journeyman Lineman Martin Taylor and Groundman/Equipment Operator Mike Purdy.