The power company required a right of way the 1,200 feet or so from the existing pole near the main house to the dairy site. Reason- liability, in case a downed power pole or wire should start a forest fire in the cactus. A right-of -way would allow them to keep all prickly things under the lines and poles cleared. But I could either-
1. Allow the poles to be installed without easement, in which case I would be charged $.07 per foot of run each month, added to my bill, ($84.00 month) FOREVER,or
2. Pay $11.00 per foot of run to a private concern for wire and poles, =$13,200.00 cost, or
3. Deed over to their company acreage that amounts to 1 acre, a long and very skinny strip with roadway- valuation $2,000.00 total. They pay all legal filings.
What a bargain!
I chose option 3.
The surveyers came 4 weeks later.
The paperwork came 2 weeks later.
The papers were notarized and sent back.
The deed was filed 2 weeks later.
The work crew supervisor showed up and marked with spray paint the route of the three power poles, and the dairy site service pole.
The digging truck came 1 week later. (Ooooo- deep holes!)
The poles arrived 2 weeks later.
It rained for three weeks straight. Then-
The work crew set the poles.
Now the trouble began. The power company gave me a sheet of instructions for the electrician that listed the meter box, all pipes and grounding equipment, the wiring instructions, the fuse box size. Said to take the paper, purchase this stuff in town at an electrical supply company- that they would give me everything I needed. Done and installed. $650.00+- parts only. Called the county inspector, he drove 75 miles, took one look, and said "where's the breaker box?"
Seems the electrical company desk person forgot to give me that instruction sheet!
Went back to elec. co., got sheet of further info, went back to supplier. Another $650.00+- parts only
Called electrician back over, installed box.
Called county inspector back. Said everything was perfect, signed sheet that power connection could be done.
Called power company to have service connected.
Wasn't home when they came, a Friday. I was out setting up for a crew of workers to help with pouring concrete into barn forms (readi-mix.). It was now into May.
Got home and found message on answering machine- "DO NOT USE POWER--GROUND IS NOT PROPERLY WIRED BETWEEN BOXES ON DAIRY SERVICE POLE!"
5 days until power company could stand and instruct how to properly ground stuff to thing-a-ma-jigs.
Forget it!
Went out and bought battery operated power tools to screw barn pieces together.
Then decided screw the power company by not connecting for use for a few months!
Who needs 'em.
I was so tempted to call the county inspector and give him a piece of my mind. But thought better of it- I should stay on this guys good side, right?
I found out they promote their inspectors sideways (far out into the country for inspections) rather than fire them for incompetence.