Port Charlotte Neighbors Ask: If Lines Are Underground, Why Are Power Poles Still Up?

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (WINK) — A Port Charlotte resident raised an intriguing question at a recent WINK Listens event: "Why have power poles sitting there?"

Gary Stone shared his concern about the wooden poles that remain standing after utility lines were moved underground outside his house on Abscott Street. Despite the lines being gone, the poles have been left in place, and Stone wanted answers.

"Why have poles sitting there? There’s no reason to have them sitting there," said Stone.

He said some equipment has been inactive for more than a year, yet the poles remain.

"They're not pretty sites, you know, sitting there, empty and stuff. And there's some streets that, you know, that everything's off it, and the polls are just sitting there," Stone said.

Another neighbor, David Terzo, echoed similar frustrations. He explained the difficulty of getting lines removed even after they were relocated underground.

"It took almost two years for somebody to actually come out to take care of the line," said Terzo. "The poles are still up. It’s nice for the birds and everything, but they serve no purpose."

Both men have struggled to find out who is responsible for removing the poles.

"Nobody seems to know," Stone said.

WINK News reporter Liz Biro investigated the issue and found that the responsibility is shared among multiple companies. Florida Power & Light (FPL) and Comcast each pointed fingers at one another, while the county claimed no knowledge of the responsibility.

Biro reached out to FPL and received clarification.

"Removing or replacing poles… require coordinated planning among all companies with equipment on the pole," FPL said.

They added, "We are actively working with the communications providers involved to remove the poles."

FPL explained that pole removal is a lengthy process.

"Pole removal typically takes several months, not weeks, and can only occur when all companies with equipment on a shared pole choose to relocate underground," FPL said.

Stone expressed his desire for clarity, regardless of how long the process takes.

"I don’t care if it takes two years to get them down. I just want to know who’s going to do it," said Stone. "There has to be a plan."

The bottom line is that FPL will remove a pole once it is fully cleared of equipment. However, if other providers continue to keep equipment overhead, the pole will remain.

FPL FULL STATEMENTS:

Many utility poles in our service area are shared by multiple companies — including electric utilities, telephone providers, cable television companies and internet providers — as part of standard joint‑use infrastructure arrangements. Because of this, removing or replacing poles and transferring equipment often occur as part of large‑scale and complex projects that require coordinated planning among all companies with equipment on the pole. This level of coordination can sometimes extend the timeline for completing the work.

We are actively working with the communications providers involved to remove the poles.

We understand residents’ frustration when utility poles remain after overhead lines are placed underground. While undergrounding helps improve reliability, it does not automatically result in the removal of every pole.

Pole removal typically takes several months, not weeks, and can only occur when all companies with equipment on a shared pole choose to relocate underground. If any provider elects to keep its facilities overhead or assume ownership of the pole, that pole will remain.

Regarding the poles in question, some will be removed where all attachments are transferred underground. Others will remain to support overhead services, based on decisions made independently by other utility providers with equipment on the poles. FPL initiates removal only when a pole is fully clear.