Page 33 - McWane Poles Sales Manual 2024

Sales Manual • 2024
33
A Ductile Iron Pole is Born
Entergy Texas' engineering department
provides custom-tailored solution for
developer in coastal community.
The developer of a high-end residential community
on Bolivar Peninsula called Seagrass Beach
contacted Entergy Texas to request underground
electrical service so potential buyers would have
the best possible coastline views.
Here's the rub. Seagrass Beach is located near
the Gulf of Mexico in an area susceptible to
flooding during a strong storm with a high tide.
The community's location prevented underground
service because the transformers could be
damaged often; therefore, other options had to be
considered to meet the customer's request.
Entergy Texas' engineering team found themselves
in a situation that required ingenuity and creativity
in order to balance the request for "curb appeal"
while protecting the company's equipment from
storm surges. The engineering team assigned to
this project included: Randy Hickman, Michael Huff,
Kevin J. Mohr and TJ Ray.
Huff, who helped design the project, determined
metal poles would be the best option. He and
the engineering team had multiple meetings with
the standards department to develop a workable
solution. They also decided to first see how
other utilities, including CenterPoint Energy and
Duke Energy, construct underground primary in
coastal areas. In Galveston, CenterPoint uses an
option called ductile iron poles, a technology also
employed by Entergy Louisiana.
Ultimately the Entergy design team decided to also
go with ductile iron poles, which were installed at
Seagrass Beach in October. This is a hybrid option
in which all the wires are hidden underground,
apart from the risers on the pole. There are not any
overhead wires from pole to pole.
"The changes in the poles from other installations
are mostly with the jumpers for avian and lighting
protection," Huff said. "Since it is a metal pole set
extra deep, it also has a strong chance at surviving
a hurricane."
Not only are they durable, but they're 100 percent
recyclable. The poles are made of 96 percent
recycled cars, appliances, and other metals. And,
at the end of a pole's service life, the manufacturer
can melt that pole down and produce another pole
from the same material.
Although Seagrass Beach is the first time that
Entergy Texas has installed ductile iron poles, it
may not be the last.
Huff added, "Since the subdivision will be seen
when traveling to the beach from Beaumont,
we hope developers and customers will be so
impressed that this project ushers in new requests."
Replacing a pole is expensive. But with lifespan of
75 years, ductile iron poles are a smart investment
that will reap benefits for generations to come in
the Seagrass Beach community.