Don’t be alarmed if you find low-flying helicopters maneuvering around and hovering above extra-high voltage transmission lines in the days and weeks ahead in Southwest Michigan. Indiana Michigan Power says they will employ helicopters to complete routine maintenance work along those extra-high voltage transmission lines running between Lakeville, Indiana and Bridgman. I&M officials say you should not expect to experience any service interruptions related to the aerial work getting underway.
The scheduled work begins this week and will continue throughout the course of the summer. All flight activity is naturally dependent on weather and other factors.
The helicopters help crews access wires and equipment between transmission structures. The aircraft, black MD500 with the tail numbers N500LK and N363CC, will travel along the transmission line and hover for periods of time to perform the work.
Company representatives say they may, additionally, reach out to some landowners to request access for ground support crews on occasion.
Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,450 employees serve more than 593,900 customers. More than half of its generation is emission-free, including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,600 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
