Resident wants replacement power lines buried underground for safety, aesthetics

With replacement power lines going underground for Pyramid Lake and Marmot Basin, at least one Jasper resident is questioning why ATCO isn’t burying new lines in town as well.

Charlie Finley, who lost his house in the 2024 wildfire and is currently looking for a builder, said the poles that went up near his Turret Street property last summer are 50 feet high—double the height of the originals.

“Look towards the south valley where the view is, the new lines cut right across the top of [Mount] Kerkeslin, Hardisty, Fryatt, Christie, Edith Cavell, Marmot and Whistler,” he said.

Finley speculated that the power lines weren’t being buried underground because insurance would only cover the cost of replacing the poles. He also argued that ATCO could pass the cost on to the consumer if it was a matter of money.

“Because they’re the only show around, they will not bend,” he said. “We give them money for that service, yet they don’t give us what we should be getting for service.”

Not only does Finley find the new poles “unsightly,” but he is also concerned about their vulnerability to wildfire. He noted how the town had given up its power plant and connected to Alberta’s electricity system via 45 kilometres of transmission line in 2019.

“We fought to get that buried too, but they wouldn’t do it,” he said.

ATCO previously argued that the rocky terrain made buried lines to Jasper unfeasible. In September 2022, the town went without power for multiple days when the Chetamon Mountain wildfire burned through ATCO’s transmission line, including 18 power poles. 

Finley added that bears could potentially climb the poles and disrupt power—and they have. In June 2023 a 1.7 ha wildfire near Portal Creek 10 kms south of town was put out just before it was able to spread, after a bear cub climbed the pole and was electrocuted.  

Amanda Mattern, vice-president of operations at ATCO, explained in an email that providing electric service “involves making decisions that balance reliability, affordability and resiliency.”

She highlighted several undergrounding projects in the Jasper area, including work at Marmot Basin, and the main distribution feed along the back of town. A project to underground the Pyramid Lake distribution feed has already begun.

To strengthen Jasper’s overhead system, the utility company has installed fire mesh on poles, non-combustible composite poles and conductors designed to reduce sparks from line contact, Mattern said.

“These efforts demonstrate our commitment to proactive solutions and continued investment in infrastructure capable of withstanding and recovering from extreme weather events, including wildfire,” she said.

The Municipality of Jasper stated in an email that power distribution infrastructure, including the decision whether to bury lines, fell under ATCO’s responsibility.

“We recognize that residents have concerns about wildfire risk and neighbourhood impacts, and the Municipality continues to engage with ATCO on infrastructure resilience and community considerations where we have the ability to do so,” the statement read.

“The Municipality’s franchise agreements with ATCO are approaching renewal in 2028, which will provide an opportunity for further discussion on expectations and priorities moving forward.”

Peter Shokeir // info@thejasperlocal.com