Ground-Line Barrier Could Add 20 Years to Poles
An independent review finds ground-line protection may extend the service life of wooden utility poles by up to 20 years.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Utilities
An independent review commissioned by Polesaver and conducted by Craig R. McIntyre of McIntyre Associates Inc. concluded that ground-line protection could extend the service life of wooden utility poles by up to 20 years. The review draws on more than 30 years of field data, laboratory testing and utility experience.
Why it matters
Wooden poles at the ground line are vulnerable to moisture and biological decay, which limits how long they remain in service. A longer service life could affect how often utilities replace poles and how they budget for infrastructure upkeep.
The review aggregates eight years of field exposure testing in Uganda, ten years of independent testing on poles in England, twenty-five years of testing on wooden stakes and four years of utility-commissioned soil-bed testing. The projected extension of up to 20 years has not been compared against a stated baseline in the source material.
The players
Polesaver
Polesaver is the organization that commissioned the independent review of ground-line protection for wooden utility poles.
Craig R. McIntyre
Craig R. McIntyre is the author of the independent review and a principal of McIntyre Associates Inc., a firm that conducts independent technical evaluations.
The details
The review assesses how ground-line barriers limit moisture penetration and reduce biological decay in wooden poles, and how well they retain wood strength over time. It also includes moisture-ingress testing of both complete and partial barriers.
Timeline
• November 5, 2026: Review on the service life of ground-line protected utility poles was published.
Market Landscape
Ground-line protection barriers for wooden poles sit within a utility infrastructure market where replacement cycles drive spending. The review's independent field testing across Uganda and England provides evidence that could shift how utilities weigh protection against pole replacement.
Utilities that adopt ground-line protection could defer some pole replacement costs if the projected service-life extension holds. Ratepayers would see any effect only indirectly, through infrastructure budgeting over time.
The takeaway
Maintenance measures that slow decay at the ground line can meaningfully change how long existing infrastructure stays in service. Utilities weighing protection against replacement should watch for long-term field results that confirm the projected extension.
Further reading
Explore more on Utilities to see how infrastructure maintenance decisions shape the sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by T&D World.
