The Telephone Pole Problem

About 10 months ago, the entire northeast United States was plunged into darkness, immobilized in part by the failure to trim some tree branches overhanging telephone lines. In a Wi-Fi world, do we still need telephone poles, and why is it so hard to pull them down?

On August 14, 2003, at 4:09 P.M.,EST, the lights went out.

In New York City — and Buffalo, Toronto and Toledo. The entire Northeast corridor went black in the largest blackout in United States history, shutting down planes, trains and automobiles — and buses and subways.

No one panicked. In fact, there was little looting and no price gouging. Some shopkeepers sold candles and bottled water at reduced prices. People shared cab rides and cell phones. And almost everyone got home from work late. On the upside, one woman living in Manhattan reported that she saw the Big Dipper for the first time in her life.

The reason for this massive collapse of the Lake Erie Loop that involved more than 100 electric plants was traced, in part, to the failure to trim tree branches in Cleveland, and a telephone pole that brought down some electrical lines.

That was about nine months ago. Chances are, you’re going to lose power at least once this summer as thunderstorms and high winds bring power lines to...