Grays Harbor PUD Battles Copper Wire Theft

Aberdeen, WA - Battling copper wire theft at the Grays Harbor PUD, staff said this week that copper plated steel grounding will avoid continuing problems with wife theft. Operations Manager Ed Pauley told PUD Commissioners this week, wire theft isn't costing the PUD a lot in wire, but in labor "the numbers in cost was very low, I think maybe $200 in copper, maybe $300, labor-wise you're looking at maybe 7 to 10 [thousand]."
General Manager Rick Lovely said the necessary grounding lines found on most poles would be much more difficult to cut, and worth far less to scrapers, once they switch to copper-plate steel.