By Andrew Shepherd

1,000 line hits in 2013 for SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SaskTel

Jan 23, 2014 | 5:42 AM

All three provincial Crown utility companies are urging people to call before they dig after a high number of buried lines were cut in 2013.

More than 1,000 power, natural gas and telecommunications lines were cut or damaged last year and the Crown utilities want to see than number significantly reduced in 2014. SaskEnergy, SaskPower and SaskTel are expanding their efforts this year to try to stop the rising trend of damage to their infrastructure over the last five years.

For instance, SaskEnergy President and CEO Doug Kelln said they are going to be spending more time in new subdivisions. A new safety patrol is being introduced to ensure safe digging practices are being followed.

All three utilities are also raising awareness of the 'Sask 1st Call' website where anyone with plans to dig can easily request all three utilities to come find a line before they start.

SaskEnergy's Doug Kelln said the lines that were cut or damaged in 2013 add up to a $10 million cost.

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“A lot of that is a loss in productivity that, at the end of the day, we'd rather have that digging done safely,” he said.

As the number of damaged lines increases every year, Kelln said he believes it may be related to the continued growth in Saskatchewan.

“I think economic development tends to drive digging, you know, we're at an elevated level,” he explained.

The Crowns are hoping to reduce the number of cut lines not only for their benefit but also because there is some cost to the taxpayer. Kelln said emergency services often respond when a natural gas line is cut.

Meanwhile, if a phone line is cut, the president and CEO of SaskTel said you won't be able to contact police, fire or an ambulance. Ron Styles explained cutting a line in the ground could also affect cellphone service.

“They're actually cutting off our towers as well and that means our wireless network goes down,” said Styles.

He said that can happen in rural areas and within the city. SaskTel's policy is if you cut their line, you're paying for the repairs.

That's why all three Crown utilities encourage everyone to notify them before you dig so that they can come and find the lines in that area.

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