CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman Power Board customers may see crews from Davey Resource Group (DRG) in neighborhoods over the next several weeks as part of an inspection and verification project tied to the utility’s pole attachment agreement and ongoing system planning. The work will continue through winter as crews move across different parts of the service area.
The Power Board announced earlier that DRG vehicles will be marked and workers will carry an official Authorization to Work letter. Electric service will not be affected while the inspections take place. To help explain the project, Cullman Utilities Water and Power CEO Allison Bright described what residents should expect from DRG’s work and how the inspections support long-term system reliability. Bright said the primary purpose of the project is to verify attachments among companies who share the poles. “DRG will be verifying pole attachments among AT&T, Spectrum and Cullman Power Board, ensuring accuracy and compliance,” she said. “While in the field, they will also note any visible issues such as damaged crossarms, bent insulators or loose guy wires. This work supports our long-term goal of maintaining a safe, reliable infrastructure for the community.” She said the partnership with DRG was selected after evaluating cost and performance among similar utilities. “DRG is an AT&T-approved vendor, which allows Cullman Power Board to share costs and reduce expenses,” she said. “We also consulted other utilities using similar GIS systems who reported excellent results with DRG. Their proven expertise, strong safety record and experience with public power utilities made them the right choice for this phase of our system planning.” Bright said most work is brief and often completed without crews entering private yards. “Most work will be done using digital maps, so crews may not need to enter every property,” she said. “When necessary, customers might see DRG teams walking or driving along utility rights-of-way. Their visits are brief, typically just a few minutes per location.” She emphasized that DRG contractors will be clearly identified and do not have access to customer information. “DRG does not have access customer information,” Bright said. “All DRG crews will drive marked vehicles and carry an official Authorization to Work letter from Cullman Power Board. We have also notified the Cullman Police Department of this work. If you would like to confirm a worker’s identity, please call us at 256-734-2343.” Bright said the inspection work is also a valuable opportunity to assess assets across the system. “This inspection is part of our pole attachment agreement and accounting process, but it also gives us a valuable opportunity to check the condition of our assets on our system,” she said. “Knowing the condition of our poles, crossarms, insulators, and guy wires is something that is increasingly important as Cullman grows.” She said catching system issues early reduces the risk of outages, especially during severe weather. “While the primary intention of this work is to verify what companies are attached to our poles, the secondary purpose helps identify potential asset issues so we can plan and address those issues as soon as reasonably possible, reducing the risk of outages,” she said.
Bright said the project is expected to take six to eight weeks, allowing for holidays or weather delays. “We expect the project to take 6–8 weeks, allowing for holidays and weather delays,” she said. “Updates will be shared through our Facebook page and other customer notifications as needed.” She encouraged customers to call if they have concerns about workers or activity near their property. “If you have any concerns, call us at 256-734-2343,” she said. “Crews should only be on-site for a few minutes and may not need to enter your property unless there is an issue to document.” Bright said the findings will help guide future maintenance and upgrade decisions. “If recurring issues are found, we will investigate whether they indicate a larger problem, equipment aging, or normal wear,” she said. “This helps us prioritize maintenance and plan for future improvements.” She acknowledged that unfamiliar crews can make some residents uneasy. “We understand there could be concerns, which is why we are sharing this information proactively,” she said. “DRG crews are authorized professionals working on behalf of Cullman Power Board. They will only be on-site briefly, and anyone is welcome to call us at 256-734-2343 to verify their identity.” Bright said the inspections also support storm readiness. “By identifying potential problems now, we can plan and address those problems to try to prevent outages before they happen,” she said. “Every issue avoided during storms or winter weather benefits the entire community.” She said more work is planned in the coming year. “Yes,” she said. “We have several projects scheduled to increase system capacity and perform routine maintenance on aging infrastructure. These improvements are part of our long-term strategy to meet the growing needs of our community. Work will begin next year and, due to the size of these projects, will continue over several months. We will keep customers informed through our usual communication channels as these projects progress.” What customers should expect during DRG field work
DRG vehicles will be clearly marked Workers will carry a Cullman Power Board Authorization to Work letter Electric service will not be affected Most visits last only a few minutes Crews may not need to enter private property Call 256-734-2343 with any questions or to verify a worker
