When Hurricane Helene brought devastating flooding to eastern Tennessee, utilities throughout the region faced unprecedented damage. Floodwaters along the Nolichucky River washed away utility infrastructure, leaving electric cooperatives and municipal utilities with the challenge of restoring service while preparing their systems to better withstand future storms. For both Erwin Utilities and Mountain Electric Cooperative, the recovery effort reinforced the value of investing in more resilient infrastructure.
Building Back Stronger at Erwin Utilities
Erwin Utilities provides electric and fiber optic services throughout most of Unicoi County and portions of Washington and Carter counties, as well as water and wastewater services in Unicoi County. When floodwaters destroyed sections of power lines supported by traditional wood poles, the utility viewed the recovery as an opportunity not only to restore service but also to improve the long-term resilience of its electric system.
As part of its river corridor rebuild, Erwin Utilities selected McWane Poles after recognizing the significant advantages ductile iron offered over traditional pole materials. Ductile iron provided a stronger, more durable alternative to wood while offering shorter lead times than comparable steel poles. During a critical recovery period, that availability allowed restoration work to move forward more quickly without sacrificing long-term performance.
To further strengthen the installation, crews set many of the poles five feet deeper than standard practice and backfilled the bottom five feet of each hole with concrete to provide additional resistance against future flood forces.
Practical Benefits in the Field
Beyond their long-term durability, Erwin Utilities found the poles offered practical installation advantages. Crews noted they were easier to drill than comparable steel poles, improving installation efficiency while providing flexibility throughout the reconstruction process.
Throughout the project, the McWane Poles team supported the utility with technical guidance, installation demonstrations, and training on drilling techniques and best practices. That collaboration helped streamline installation during an especially demanding period of system restoration.
Proven Performance at Mountain Electric Cooperative
While Erwin Utilities selected ductile iron poles as part of its rebuilding efforts, Mountain Electric Cooperative (MEC) had already been incorporating McWane Poles into its distribution system for years.
Headquartered in Mountain City, Tennessee, MEC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 36,000 members across a 700-square-mile service territory in northeast Tennessee and northwest North Carolina.
The cooperative originally sought a long-term solution for critical distribution poles located in remote areas where replacement was labor intensive and costly. Traditional wood poles in these locations were increasingly vulnerable to vehicle impacts, severe weather, and natural deterioration, creating recurring maintenance challenges.
By replacing those critical structures with McWane Poles, MEC has been able to improve system reliability while reducing the need for future replacements. For a cooperative serving many rural communities located miles from the nearest town, investing in infrastructure with greater durability and longevity helps maximize the value of every dollar spent on behalf of its members.
Like the Erwin Utilities crews, the MEC crews also appreciated the ease of installation. Unlike some alternative materials, ductile iron poles can be drilled and modified using familiar tools and techniques without requiring specialized equipment. McWane representatives provided hands-on training during the initial installations and continue to offer support for new lineworkers joining the cooperative.
Hurricane Helene Validates the Investment
When Hurricane Helene struck in September 2024, Mountain Electric Cooperative experienced catastrophic damage, with more than 1,400 poles broken or displaced across its service territory.
Despite the widespread destruction, the cooperative reported no failures among its installed McWane Poles.
In one particularly remote seven-mile section of distribution line through a national forest, nearly the entire circuit was brought to the ground after a large tree fell into the line. Of all the ductile iron poles along that route, only a single pole was bent, and even then, it remained standing and structurally serviceable. Nearly two years later, that same pole continues to support the line despite the extreme forces it endured.
Elsewhere, McWane Poles remained standing in raging floodwaters that carried away neighboring wood poles, providing a compelling demonstration of the durability the cooperative had invested in years earlier.
For MEC, those results reinforced that choosing ductile iron poles was not simply a product decision but a long-term investment in reliability, resilience, and reduced lifecycle costs.
Investing in Long-Term Resilience
Although Erwin Utilities and Mountain Electric Cooperative approached McWane Poles from different starting points – one rebuilding after disaster and the other making strategic long-term infrastructure investments – both utilities reached the same conclusion.
Ductile iron poles provide utilities with a durable, cost-effective solution capable of improving system resilience while reducing long-term maintenance and replacement needs. Whether rebuilding after a major storm or strengthening critical infrastructure before the next one arrives, McWane Poles help utilities build electric systems prepared for whatever comes next.
