116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Low-flying helicopters to inspect transmission lines
ITS Midwest conducting aerial patrols of lines in Iowa, other Midwest states
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Iowans who see low-flying helicopters near transmission lines in the next few weeks should fear not — the flights are part of regular maintenance by ITC Midwest.
The company, which has its headquarters in Cedar Rapids, operates more than 6,600 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. The lines carry energy across the power grid.
The aerial inspections are required by the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) as part of ITC Midwest’s vegetation management program. They also “align with the company’s model for operational excellence,” according to a news release announcing the inspections.
The flights will last from Sept. 22 through Oct. 4, weather permitting. They will be conducted at low altitudes to allow for visual inspection.
In Iowa, the flight inspections will be conducted in the following counties: Adair, Allamakee, Appanoose, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Clinton, Dallas, Davis, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Howard, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Lucas, Mahaska, Marshall, Mitchell, Monroe, Osceola, Polk, Poweshiek, Story, Tama, Wapello, Winnebago, Winneshiek and Worth.
Aerial inspections are also planned in parts of Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri.
ITC Midwest LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission company. ITC Midwest operates more than 6,600 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. ITC Midwest has its headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and maintains regional operating facilities in Dubuque, Iowa City and Perry, Iowa; and Albert Lea and Lakefield, Minnesota. For further information visit www.itcmidwest.com. ITC is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information visit www.fortisinc.com.
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