Salt River Project has been busy in Fountain Hills for the past several weeks on a significant power pole replacement project.

The utility did a recent study of the transmission lines in the town and determined the need for an upgrade, according to SRP spokesperson Patricia Garcia-Likens.

“This project covers a 64 (kilovolt) system with a 12 (kilovolt) underbuild, which was originally built in 1972 and runs from the Fountain Substation to the Glenbrook Substation,” Garcia-Likens said. “We will replace 44 poles with new steel and wood poles to meet standards. Most will be steel.”

Crews are currently working along Ashbrook and Balboa washes between El Pueblo Boulevard and the Glenbrook Substation.

The goal of the Pole Upgrade Program is to replace older poles with newer poles that will provide more years of reliable service and reduce maintenance, according to Garcia-Likens.

It also has the benefit of reducing replacement costs while ensuring that the new poles have enough capacity to handle future line conductor upgrades and the addition of future circuits if needed.

The upgrade will help ensure that the area will be able to handle future growth and ensure reliability.

The project started in late November and will probably be completed by the end of January.