Special to the Times Vedette
ITC Midwest will be conducting aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory from approximately Sept. 8 to Oct. 2, weather permitting. Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC Midwest.
These patrols are a North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirement for ITC Midwest’s vegetation management program, support proactive maintenance objectives and align with the company’s model for operational excellence. The flights will include the inspection of vegetation in the vicinity of transmission structures, wood poles, conductors (wires), insulators and other equipment.
The inspection flights are often conducted at low altitudes to facilitate accurate visual inspection of vegetation hazards. This is normal procedure, so there is no cause for alarm if a low-flying helicopter is sighted near transmission lines during the time frame listed above.
The flights will take place across the following areas of the ITC Midwest service territory:
Flights will be conducted in the following Iowa counties: Adair, Allamakee, Appanoose, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Clinton, Dallas, Davis, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Lucas, Mahaska, Marshall, Mitchell, Monroe, Osceola, Polk, Poweshiek, Story, Tama, Wapello, Winnebago, Winneshiek and Worth.
Communities in the aerial patrol areas include Ames, Ankeny, Asbury, Beacon, Boone, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Chariton, Clinton, DeWitt, Dysart, Dubuque, Eddyville, Fort Madison, Gladbrook, Iowa City, Iowa Falls, Independence, Keokuk, Lansing, Marengo, Marion, Marshalltown, Mason City, Newton, North Liberty, Palo, Perry, Ottumwa, Vinton and Williamsburg.