From: Hirsch, Bruce R [mailto:Bruce.R.Hirsch@bge.com] 

Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 9:43 AM 

To: 'Mahesh P. Sampat'; Richard Parker; Kenneth Winder 

Cc: phopkinson@hvolt.com; Aaron.Meyers@cooperindustries.com; adelaski@standardsasap.org; 

ahofmann@publicpower.org; Aris Marantan; artrosenfeld@gmail.com; august.esch@gmail.com; 

BermanEconomics@gmail.com; Brian Coffey; bsmith@federalpacific.com; Chris Boulduc; Caitlin Johnson; 

carlos.gaytan@ge.com; carlosgsiqueiros@eaton.com; chad.kennedy@us.schneider-electric.com; 

charlied@uus.org; chuck.simmons@pgnmail.com; clark.silcox@nema.org; cstephens@neea.org; 

Daniel.Cohen@hq.doe.gov; dave.millure@metglas.com; DYoung@energy-solution.com; 

eduardorobles@eaton.com; 'maxinesavitz@aol.com'; Eric.Petersen@aksteel.com; gbf1@pge.com; 

gjrosenquist@lbl.gov; greg.coulter405@gmail.com; James.Lass@cleco.com; 

Jennifer.Tiedeman@hq.doe.gov; Jeremiah.Freeman@ee.doe.gov; jerry.corkran@cooperindustries.com; 

jerry.schoen@aksteel.com; jhodge@howard-ind.com; Jim.creevy@nema.org; Jim.Raba@ee.doe.gov; 

jmauer@standardsasap.org; john.caskey@nema.org; john.cymbalsky@ee.doe.gov; jrossetti@mlgw.org; 

kcoughlin@lbl.gov; mark.stoering@xcelenergy.com; Matthew Nardotti; maxinesavitz@aol.com; 

mhyland@appanet.org; Michael Rivest; mwaltner@nrdc.org; Paul.Ryan@hitmet.com; phil@pjharter.com; 

pkumar@publicpower.org; Raymond.Polinski@atimetals.com; rgreeson@federalpacific.com; 

richardparkerdc@gmail.com; rick.anderson@faypwc.com; robert.saint@nreca.coop; 

robert.vanbuskirk@ee.doe.gov; rroy@nrdc.org; ScottB@lvmetals.com; snadel@aceee.org; 

srosenstock@eei.org; tballo@earthjustice.org; Teckman@nwcouncil.org; thomas.patzner@us.schneiderelectric.com; vijay.tendulkar@onyxpower.com; Zhimei Luo; Ken Winder 

Subject: RE: Replacement Cost for Transformer Pole 

Importance: High 

I do believe the $2,000 estimate is for the best case scenario.  

I had my people pull, at random, a “lot line” pole replacement job on BGE’s territory. I requested a “lot

line” pole replacement which means the pole is not on the road thus truck assist is not possible. The

pole was a 45’ Class 3 pole located in a suburb of Baltimore. It had a 75kVA transformer on it along with

several loops to customer’s homes and a guy wire. Verizon had communications cable on the pole.   

The cost of the replacement in kind (same size pole and transformer) was $11,652. This includes the cost

of the transformer. This Did NOT include transferring the Verizon equipment or pulling the pole. (Our

process is that BGE installs the new pole and transfers all BGE equipment. We cut the pole off below our

lines. Verizon then comes on site, transfers their equipment and pulls the old pole.)  

This is one of our more difficult pole replacements but even an alley job in Baltimore city where a new

pole must be set in an existing concreted alley with multiple attachments and overhead obstructions

have similar costs. The easy jobs are the $2,000 jobs.  

Most utilities have a mix of roadside and “lot line” poles. Some have more “lot line” poles than others.

My estimation – and I am open to comments from others, is that 30% of the poles nationwide are “lot

line” poles and thus would be in the higher cost category. If you assume that 30% of the poles replaced

will cost $12,000* and 70% cost $2,000, the average price for a pole replacement comes out to about

$5,000. You can play with these numbers anyway you want to but the reality is that the $2,000 assumed

cost for a pole replacement is for best case only and does not take into account those more difficult to

replace.  
*the $12,000 includes the cost of the transformer but does not include the cost of the communications

company transferring their equipment or pulling the pole.   

                                                                                                                                Bruce

From: Mahesh P. Sampat [mailto:maheshsampat@bellsouth.net] 

Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 1:10 PM 

To: Richard Parker; Kenneth Winder 

Cc: phopkinson@hvolt.com; Aaron.Meyers@cooperindustries.com; adelaski@standardsasap.org; 

ahofmann@publicpower.org; amarantan@navigant.com; artrosenfeld@gmail.com; 

august.esch@gmail.com; BermanEconomics@gmail.com; brian.coffey@navigant.com; Hirsch, Bruce R; 

bsmith@federalpacific.com; Chris Boulduc; Caitlin.Johnson@navigant.com; carlos.gaytan@ge.com; 

carlosgsiqueiros@eaton.com; chad.kennedy@us.schneider-electric.com; charlied@uus.org; 

chuck.simmons@pgnmail.com; clark.silcox@nema.org; cstephens@neea.org; Daniel.Cohen@hq.doe.gov; 

dave.millure@metglas.com; DYoung@energy-solution.com; eduardorobles@eaton.com; 

Eric.Petersen@aksteel.com; gbf1@pge.com; gjrosenquist@lbl.gov; greg.coulter405@gmail.com; 

James.Lass@cleco.com; Jennifer.Tiedeman@hq.doe.gov; Jeremiah.Freeman@ee.doe.gov; 

jerry.corkran@cooperindustries.com; jerry.schoen@aksteel.com; jhodge@howard-ind.com; 

Jim.creevy@nema.org; Jim.Raba@ee.doe.gov; jmauer@standardsasap.org; john.caskey@nema.org; 

john.cymbalsky@ee.doe.gov; jrossetti@mlgw.org; kcoughlin@lbl.gov; mark.stoering@xcelenergy.com; 

matthew.nardotti@navigant.com; maxinesavitz@aol.com; mhyland@appanet.org; 

mrivest@navigant.com; mwaltner@nrdc.org; Paul.Ryan@hitmet.com; phil@pjharter.com; 

pkumar@publicpower.org; Raymond.Polinski@atimetals.com; rgreeson@federalpacific.com; 

richardparkerdc@gmail.com; rick.anderson@faypwc.com; robert.saint@nreca.coop; 

robert.vanbuskirk@ee.doe.gov; rroy@nrdc.org; ScottB@lvmetals.com; snadel@aceee.org; 

srosenstock@eei.org; tballo@earthjustice.org; Teckman@nwcouncil.org; thomas.patzner@us.schneiderelectric.com; vijay.tendulkar@onyxpower.com; zhimei.luo@navigant.com; Ken Winder 

Subject: Re: Replacement Cost for Transformer Pole 

Hello Ken: 

 

 Thank you for developing this info... It looks like DOE wasn't too far off in assuming cost of 

$2000/per pole change out... 

 

 The only other remaining question left that needs addressing is... 

 

 "When" does pole need to be changed? IE: What are "Engineering Rules/Limits" that 

result in pole change out...

 

 Once we know that, we/DOE can estimate change-out frequency... 

 

 Thank you. 

 

Best Regards, 

 

Mahesh 

 

--- On Wed, 10/19/11, Kenneth Winder <kwinder@mleainc.com> wrote: 
From: Kenneth Winder <kwinder@mleainc.com> 

Subject: Replacement Cost for Transformer Pole 

To: "Richard Parker" <richardparkerdc@gmail.com> 

Cc: phopkinson@hvolt.com, Aaron.Meyers@cooperindustries.com, 

adelaski@standardsasap.org, ahofmann@publicpower.org, amarantan@navigant.com, 

artrosenfeld@gmail.com, august.esch@gmail.com, BermanEconomics@gmail.com, 

brian.coffey@navigant.com, bruce.r.hirsch@bge.com, bsmith@federalpacific.com, 

cabolduc@lbl.gov, Caitlin.Johnson@navigant.com, carlos.gaytan@ge.com, 

carlosgsiqueiros@eaton.com, chad.kennedy@us.schneider-electric.com, charlied@uus.org, 

chuck.simmons@pgnmail.com, clark.silcox@nema.org, cstephens@neea.org, 

Daniel.Cohen@hq.doe.gov, dave.millure@metglas.com, DYoung@energy-solution.com, 

eduardorobles@eaton.com, Eric.Petersen@aksteel.com, gbf1@pge.com, gjrosenquist@lbl.gov, 

greg.coulter405@gmail.com, James.Lass@cleco.com, Jennifer.Tiedeman@hq.doe.gov, 

Jeremiah.Freeman@ee.doe.gov, jerry.corkran@cooperindustries.com, 

jerry.schoen@aksteel.com, jhodge@howard-ind.com, Jim.creevy@nema.org, 

Jim.Raba@ee.doe.gov, jmauer@standardsasap.org, john.caskey@nema.org, 

john.cymbalsky@ee.doe.gov, jrossetti@mlgw.org, kcoughlin@lbl.gov, 

maheshsampat@bellsouth.net, mark.stoering@xcelenergy.com, 

matthew.nardotti@navigant.com, maxinesavitz@aol.com, mhyland@appanet.org, 

mrivest@navigant.com, mwaltner@nrdc.org, Paul.Ryan@hitmet.com, phil@pjharter.com, 

pkumar@publicpower.org, Raymond.Polinski@atimetals.com, rgreeson@federalpacific.com, 

richardparkerdc@gmail.com, rick.anderson@faypwc.com, robert.saint@nreca.coop, 

robert.vanbuskirk@ee.doe.gov, rroy@nrdc.org, ScottB@lvmetals.com, snadel@aceee.org, 

srosenstock@eei.org, tballo@earthjustice.org, Teckman@nwcouncil.org, 

thomas.patzner@us.schneider-electric.com, vijay.tendulkar@onyxpower.com, 

zhimei.luo@navigant.com, "Chris Boulduc" <cabolduc@lbl.gov>, "Ken Winder" 

<kwinder@mleainc.com> 

Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 8:36 PM 

Richard and Committee: 

 Attached is a spreadsheet showing the cost to replace an existing pole in a three-phase 

distribution circuit with an existing single-phase distribution transformer mounted on it. This 

information was developed to estimate the cost to replace an existing pole with a new, higher 

strength pole required because of the increased weight of the distribution transformer. This 

estimate represents the cost to do this for my Cooperative. 

 Other Utilities will be furnishing this information for their systems. 

Kenneth A. Winder, PE 

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