The 40 ft Class 4 Powertrusion fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) pole and cross arm were manufactured by pultruder Creative Pultrusions Inc at its Alum Bank, Pennsylvania, facility. They replace a wooden pole and cross arm that were installed in the 1950s.
The installation of the lightweight composite pole and cross arm at camp site 188 in Shawnee State Park took approximately 4 hours.
Starting local
Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative, of Bedford, Pennsylvania, is a non-profit electric cooperative, established to provide electric service to the rural areas of Bedford County and portions of Fulton and Somerset Counties. It is part of a nationwide network of nearly 1000 electric cooperatives.
“We want to get FRP poles and cross arms in front of all electric cooperatives, and starting local is the best place," says DustinTroutman of Creative Pultrusions. “Bedford REC saw first hand just how easy the installation of FRP utility products is so they can communicate that with the other cooperatives.”
“Our linemen were pleasantly surprised at the pole’s weight, less than half of a wood pole," reports Brooks Shoemaker, Bedford REC’s General Manager. "They were also impressed with how quickly the hardware and cross arm could be attached to the pole. The cross arm installation, in particular, was a big time saver.”
