Linemen Power Rural America

Aug. 16, 2018
In June, journeymen linemen for Bluestem Electric Cooperative built a new electric service as part of the Rural Development investment.

New electric lines will soon run through rural America, thanks to an investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

In the near future, linemen will build 30 miles of line, improve 44 miles and make other system improvements. The loan amount also includes $144,000 for smart grid projects, according to the USDA. 

The following is a snapshot of a day in the life of the Bluestem Electric Cooperative crew as they work to build a rural line in Olsburg, Kansas. In June, journeymen linemen for Bluestem Electric Cooperative built a new electric service as part of the Rural Development investment.

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the Field Editor for T&D World magazine and manages the Electric Utility Operations section. She is the host of the Line Life Podcast, which celebrates the grit, courage and inspirational teamwork of the line trade.  She also works on the annual Lineworker Supplement and the Vegetation Management Supplement as well as the Lineman Life and Lineman's Rodeo News enewsletters. Amy also covers events such as the Trees & Utilities conference and the International Lineman's Rodeo. She is the past president of the ASBPE Educational Foundation and ASBPE and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. She can be reached at [email protected]

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