KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The county of Lake is nearing completion on a power facilities upgrade on the top of Mount Konocti.
The project is running new power facilities to the Buckingham Peak area, where the county of Lake hosts telecommunications facilities rented to carriers like AT&T.
Earlier this month, residents saw a helicopter putting new power poles in place. Chief Deputy County Administrative Officer Jeff Rein said the poles were placed by a county-hired contractor.
The work necessitated partially closing Mount Konocti County Park for a few days earlier this month.
Rein said “limited access” was needed at the park because of the helicopter work that took place for a few hours on April 5 and 7.
The staging area was located next to a park restroom. “So, we definitely did not the public being put at risk,” Rein said.
As part of the project, Pacific Gas and Electric spokeswoman Megan McFarland said the company is upgrading a power line that runs from the bottom of the Riviera West subdivision to the top of Mount Konocti.
According to documents presented to the Board of Supervisors in January, AT&T approached the county four years ago about upgrading the electric utility service to the Buckingham Peak site, which includes a county-owned tower and equipment building, and an AT&T-owned tower and equipment buildings, the latter located on property leased from the county.
Rein's report to the board for that January meeting explained that the county's electric utility service at that point had only enough capacity to support the county’s own tower and equipment building, which required AT&T and its tenant, US Cellular, to use propane generator 24 hours a day to support their operations.
“The long-term financial cost of continuously running generators as well as the resulting impact to air quality provided AT&T and US Cellular with incentive to invest in such an upgrade,” Rein reported.
Project benefits also include replacement of power poles that Rein said were than 40 years old.
Rein told Lake County News that the power poles were so severely deteriorated that several of them simply fell over when the county's contractor removed the guy wires.
Previously, the restricted power capacity limited the county's ability to support additional tenants at the facility, according to Rein's report.
The project also includes the installation of a newer type of power line to provide for more efficient power delivery, and it will secure the long-term tenancy of AT&T and US Cellular, which pays the county $51,000 per year, according to county documents.
In addition to not running on generators around the clock, having the power upgrade will eliminate weekly trips to deliver fuel, which Rein said provides the additional benefit of reducing wear and tear to the road and improves safety of those otherwise using the road – including hikers, bikers and other vehicles.
AT&T had evaluated undergrounding the project, but it abandoned that plan after it was estimated to cost $2.1 million, according to Rein's report.
The county then pursued having the power poles and overhead utility lines replaced, with the total project budget coming out at $745,000. AT&T verbally committed to funding this approach if it was reasonable, according to Rein. Also assisting in covering the cost is another county licensee on the mountain, T-Mobile.
The board approved the plans and hired Northern California Power Co. to do the work, which began in early February, Rein said.
Part of the work also included acquiring an easement and right-of-way, Rein said.
Barring the unexpected, Rein anticipates the county’s contractor to complete its scope of work no later than April 25, with PG&E also on track, he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
