A utility pole is a column or post, usually made out of wood or aluminum alloy, used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. It can be referred to as a transmission pole, telephone pole, telecommunication pole, power pole, hydro pole, telegraph pole, or telegraph post, depending on its application. A Stobie pole is a multi-purpose pole made of two steel joists held apart by a slab of concrete in the middle, generally found in South Australia.
Utility pole supporting wires for electrical power distribution, coaxial cable for cable television, and telephone cable. A pair of shoes can be seen hanging from the wires (center-left, far right)
Wooden electricity poles in Germany. In central Europe, lines usually run just straight across fields, rows of poles accompanying roads are quite rare.
Steel utility pole in Darwin, Australia
Typical North American utility pole, showing hardware for a residential 240/120 V split-phase service drop: (A,B,C) 3-phase primary distribution wires (mounted on a crossarm), (D) neutral wire, (E) fuse cutout, (F) lightning arrestor, (G) single-phase distribution transformer, (H) ground wire to transformer case, (J) "triplex" service drop cable carries secondary current to customer, (K) telephone and cable television cables
An overhead power line is a structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to transmit electrical energy along large distances. It consists of one or more conductors suspended by towers or poles. Since the surrounding air provides good cooling, insulation along long passages and allows optical inspection, overhead power lines are generally the lowest-cost method of power transmission for large quantities of electric energy.
Overhead power line in Gloucestershire, England.
A man working on powerlines in Nauru (2007)
High- and medium-voltage power lines in Łomża, Poland
low-profile power lines near an airfield
