Kalgoorlie-Boulder homeowner will 'personally cut down' power ...

A Kalgoorlie-Boulder homeowner says he will cut down a power pole if Western Power installs the “gift” on his property today.

WA legislation is in the favour of the energy provider, which insists it not only has the right to place the pole on Rob Miller’s property but also that he will then bear all maintenance responsibility for it.

However, local resident and business owner Mr Miller told the Kalgoorlie Miner this week he and his neighbour had refused Western Power’s proposition that one of them needed to accept the “gift” of a power pole on Wednesday — and he said he would cut the pole down if its was put it in his front yard.

Mr Miller said in early October when Western Power was working on Addis Street, Lamington, where he lives, he instructed the energy provider he did not want the power pole if he would be made responsible for it.

“Two and a half years ago, we got documentation through to say that they were looking at putting a power pole within our property boundaries,” he said.

“They would give the pole to us, and it would be our responsibility to maintain it.

“I said to them, I didn’t have a problem with the pole going in the front yard, however, it was not going to be my responsibility to maintain Western Power infrastructure.

“Two and a half years down the track, they turned up here approximately a month ago drilling holes up the street.

“I said they could drill the hole (in my front yard), however, no pole is to go up until I get that documentation saying they accept that it’s their responsibility.”

Mr Miller said he was assured some documentation would be sent to him regarding the pole before it was placed in his yard, however, he left his home for about 45 minutes and came back to a pole standing in his yard.

He asked the man he had spoken to why the pole was up despite him not receiving any documentation from the energy provider stating it would be Western Power’s responsibility, and the man told him Western Power would not do that.

Mr Miller then requested the pole be taken out of his yard, which was done, and a few days later he received a call from Western Power.

“(They) were saying that we obviously had a problem and I said I don’t have a problem, Western Power has a problem,” he said.

Mr Miller said the representative asked if he would be willing to install a power head on his property, to which Mr Miller agreed but then the representative requested he pay half of the underground drilling cost.

“For Western Power infrastructure? Not likely,” he said.

“That killed that so then he said ‘look, we don’t want to get to a point where we’ve got to cut your power off’.”

Mr Miller then entered into a back-and-forth conversation with Western Power about the letter he received two and half years ago when he indicated he did not want the responsibility of a power pole but Western Power maintained it could not find the documentation or phone conversation.

On November 6, Mr Miller received a letter stating in accordance with the Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979, Western Power would enter his property on November 22 and install a “consumer pole” which would be “gifted” to him.

The letter stated he would then have to action any future maintenance requirements of the pole.

Mr Miller said he called Western Power straight away and informed it that if anybody installed a pole on his property on November 22, he would “personally cut it down”.

“I’m saying if they turn up — they can have the police here, they can have Western Power, they can have the paper here — I will cut the pole down because 100 per cent I addressed this two and a half years ago,” he said.

Other homeowners on Addis Street have accepted the gifted pole, knowing they are now responsible for it.

However, many local homeowners have also used Facebook to express their confusion over Western Power’s defect notices, indicating not many people were aware the pole on their property was their responsibility.

Some people said the defect notice was unwarranted given there was only some surface rust on their pole and others questioned if they had to comply with the notice.

Overwhelmingly, there was confusion about the ownership of the poles, with many homeowners saying they were unaware it was considered their property.

One homeowner, also living on Addis Street, was instructed he had to replace his pole. For that task, he was quoted more than $4000 by a local electrician.

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website stipulates power poles and overhead lines which transport electricity from a main switchboard and meter to a home are classed as private power poles and lines.

The website says it is the property owner’s responsibility to “inspect and maintain them”, and to replace them when necessary.

“This is not a new requirement. It has always been the property owner’s responsibility to maintain all electrical equipment they own,” it reads.

The Energy Operators (Powers) Act 1979 gives permission to Western Power and Horizon Power to enter residential properties and carry out work such as the construction and installation of consumer poles.

Western Power was contacted for comment about Mr Miller’s situation.