Hotline of power engineering specialists:
Only for 5 months of 2018 drivers of vehicles as a result of traffic accidents damaged 11 power line poles in the service area of IDGC of Centre - Smolenskenergo division. Incidents occurred in Novoduginsky, Demidovsky, Temkinsky, Roslavlsky, Dukhovschinsky, Monastyrschinsky, Yartsevsky, Glinkovsky and Vyazemsky districts of the Smolensk region. The total amount of damage caused to power engineers was 221.84 thousand rubles.
For example, in January, as a result of an accident, a resident of Temkinsky district inadvertently hit and damaged a pole of a 10 kV overhead line of the 35/10 kV substation "Temkino". As a result, the branch’s damage was 20.23 thousand rubles. For the restoration work, a crew of Temkinsky Distribution Zone promptly left for the site. Specialists replaced the damaged pole and in a short time fed all consumers. An inspector of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate drew up a protocol concerning the culprit of incidents on an administrative offense, and the chief of the Distribution Zone sent a claim for damages.
It is worth noting that in such situations, the power grid company is forced to seek additional funds for unscheduled repair work. In addition, as a result of accidents involving damage to power equipment, inconveniences can also be experienced by consumers, who have no electricity for the time of emergency repairs. Thus, the driver, who damaged the power transmission line, is liable under the Russian Federation law for violating traffic rules, for damaged power equipment, and may be liable to consumers who, due to a power failure, have household electrical equipment out of order.
Not always poles are damaged when there are road accidents, sometimes specialized vehicles break the integrity of wires. There were 5 such cases in 2018, while the damage amounted to 122.5 thousand rubles. For example, in February 2018, as a result of an accident, a motor vehicle under the control of a resident of Dukhovschinsky district damaged a pole with a wire break. As a result, the branch’s damage was 33.14 thousand rubles. Dukhovschinsky Distribution Zone filed a claim and lawsuit.
Power engineers of the Smolensk branch of IDGC of Centre once again reminds motorists of the need for strict observance of traffic rules, as well as safety requirements when travelling near power facilities and inadmissibility of violating guard zones of power transmission lines. Such incidents are also dangerous because dangling wires of overhead power lines pose a threat to life and health of people. A person who falls into the so-called "stepping" voltage zone within a radius of less than 8-10 metres can be hit by electric current without even touching wires. It is also worth remembering that in protected zones of power lines without coordination with the power grid company, all kinds of work are prohibited: loading and unloading, agricultural work, felling and cutting trees, construction and reconstruction of buildings and structures, including excavation near cable lines.