Submitted by OPALCO.

San Juan County has a recovery strategy for protection of salmon populations which includes the Jackson Beach Restoration Project. As part of the plan, OPALCO is moving the transmission poles off Jackson Beach on San Juan Island. These critical high-voltage transmission lines carry power to all of San Juan Island.

Starting later this month, crews will begin setting poles along Pear Point Road so that the three poles on the beach can be removed. Moving the poles off the beach means several of the surrounding poles also need to be moved in order to make this section of the power grid optimally designed.

Once crews get the new transmission poles set, they will install new power lines and splice them to the existing lines. The crew will need to take an all-island outage to energize the lines. Dates will be dependent on work completed and the optimal weather window. Later this year, the poles will be removed from the beach.

OPALCO worked closely with Island Rec and the neighborhoods close to this project to find the best route for this critical infrastructure. OPALCO strives to have minimal impact with these kinds of projects to preserve our pristine environment while providing electricity to our communities.

High-voltage power lines like this section of power lines are difficult and expensive to bury underground. Burying transmission lines limits crew access, delays outage restoration and makes repairs more difficult. OPALCO remains committed to having power lines underground where feasible and more than 89% of our lower-voltage distribution lines that feed your house are buried.

If you have any questions about this project, email communications@opalco.com.

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is our member-owned cooperative electric utility, serving more than 11,400 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 97% greenhouse-gas free and is generated predominantly by hydroelectric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937. Follow OPALCO @OrcasPower on Facebook and Twitter.