Cinco de Mayo? Nah, Sinko de Fibro! Fiber cut takes out commercial services and a KPUD ISP countywide. (Net253 is fine)

No good deed goes unpunished, I remind myself often.

9:38 AM Tree trimmer cut county mainline

11:30 AM KPUD dispatched contractor to string new fiber

5:00 PM new fiber in place

7:24 PM services restored

PSE contractors were doing right of way maintenance on Cinco de Mayo to protect power lines (and indirectly telecommunications) from hazardous trees.

One of KPUD’s mainline fibers was cut around 9:38AM by the tree contractor. The contractor marked it with a red flag so it was easy to find.

But wait, it is still up there how can it be broken? KPUD uses a Strand and Lash build style which has a 1/4” galvanized steel “rope” between the poles. The fiber is then spiral bound to that steel strength member. This style of construction is durable, and readily expandable. It is top of the line stuff.

Unfortunately, Murphy lives here in Kitsap. The cut is in the middle of a span between two poles. KPUD needs adjust/string fiber to restore service. KPUD called out an aerial contractor to get the fibers ready for KPUD to splice.

As much as outages stink, I need to point out that KPUD located the break and committed emergency funds to get repairs started within two hours of the break first being reported.

New Berry Hill Line Cut