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In 2016, in the service area of IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division 14 cases of damage to power line poles as a result of road traffic accidents were recorded. The total amount of damage caused to the energy sector was more than 210 thousand rubles. The largest number of collisions with the poles was made in the service area of Roslavlsky, Elninsky, Glinksky, Gagarinsky and Krasninsky Distribution Zones. For example, 26.10.2016, as a result of an accident a resident of the settlement of Oster in Roslavlsky district inadvertently collided and damaged a reinforced concrete pole of an overhead line of 0.4 kV. As a result, the branch incurred damages in the amount of 18.44 thousand rubles. The traffic police inspector in respect of the traffic accident culprit drew up a report on administrative offense, and the chief of the Distribution Zone filed a claim for damages.
The traffic accidents not always damage poles, sometimes specialized vehicles break the integrity of wires. There were 8 such cases in 2016, the damage amounted to 92.7 thousand rubles. For example, in September 2016 a tractor of LLC "Bryansk Meat Company" in the performance of earthworks inadvertently snagged and tore wires in adjacent spans of a 10 kV overhead line. The damage amounted to 17.9 thousand rubles. As a result of claim-related work, in early October the damage was compensated.
Given that the cause of these cases is often the elementary carelessness and negligence of drivers, Smolenskenergo once again urges motorists to be more careful on the roads, and to be aware of the responsibility for damage of electric grid facilities of the region. The main danger of a collision with a power line pole and damaged wires consists in the fact that the driver puts his life and the lives of fellow travellers to mortal danger, as the lines are energized.
The driver, who knocks down an electricity pole, is responsible under the legislation of the Russian Federation for violation of traffic rules, for damaged power equipment and can be held financially liable to the consumers, who, because of the power failure, have their household appliances out of order.
Negligence of motorists leads to interruption of power supply to consumers, as well as additional costs of Smolenskenergo at restoring the damaged equipment. Vehicles hit power line poles every year, and power engineers have to constantly go to remove breaks and install poles, damaged by third parties. For damage of electric grids the violator is prosecuted under Art. 9.7 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation with the payment of a fine of 1 to 2 thousand rubles, if he is a natural person, or from 20 to 40 thousand rubles, if the damage was the fault of a legal entity. In addition, the offender is obliged to compensate for actual costs of restoration of a knocked down pole, which makes up a significant amount of up to 80 thousand rubles, and the cost of electricity undersupplied to consumers.