Company urges safety after copper theft death

VEAZIE – Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. officials urged caution Friday around substations following the death of a 32-year-old St. Stephen man who was electrocuted after he broke into a New Brunswick Power Co. substation and tried to cut and steal a heavy-gauge copper ground wire.

“I think it underscores the safety aspects to working around high voltage lines and substations,” Bangor Hydro manager of transmission Gerry Chasse said Friday during a news conference at the Veazie substation.

“Fences around substations and proper clearance around power lines are there to protect the public,” he said. “They can be very dangerous.”

Power lines and substations operate at very high voltages – up to 345,000 volts, which is 3,000 times the voltage in a household outlet.

“It’s impossible to tell an energized wire from a nonenergized wire, and choosing the wrong one can be deadly,” Chasse said.

Copper has become attractive to thieves since its value has nearly doubled in the past year to about $3.30 a pound.

About a year ago, a copper theft occurred a Bangor Hydro facility in the Lincoln area. The men who committed crimes there were caught and recently sentenced to jail time and ordered to pay restitution.

Power officials said the recent spike in copper thefts has caused them to improve monitoring at substations, including in some cases adding video monitors.

They also have developed relationships with local law enforcement officials and have stepped up inspections at sites throughout the region.

“Stolen copper is extremely expensive to replace,” Chasse said, adding that those costs ultimately get passed on to customers.

The ultimate message from Bangor Hydro officials Friday was simple: “Please stay away from energized equipment and power lines,” Chasse said.