JACKSON, Mich. — Iron makes you stronger, right?
That’s the selling point for vitamins, and it’s the idea behind Consumers Energy buying 1,200 iron poles.
The $3.5M investment was made to start phasing out wooden electrical poles around the state.
Iron poles last about 80 years, stand up to Michigan’s harsh weather, and don’t attract pests, says the company.
“These new iron poles will fortify our infrastructure, reducing the number of times that homes and businesses lose power,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric distribution engineering.
Not to mention the cost of wood has been on the rise since shortages began during the pandemic.
The work is part of their plan to bolster the electrical grid.
West Michigan and the northern lower peninsula will get the first poles— Consumers will start in new construction areas near Kalamazoo, Greenville, and Tawas, then expand to replace existing poles (as weather allows), balancing priorities between need and accessibility for crews.
