When a wood utility pole needs replacing, getting a new one can be a problem. Replacement poles are in short supply, and sourcing and delivering them can take up to 18 months. For DNOs managing ageing networks and demanding maintenance programmes, that creates a real challenge: how do you keep the network safe and reliable when replacement timber is difficult to obtain?
The scale of demand is considerable. The Energy Networks Association has reported that the UK needs approximately 60,000 new wooden electricity poles every year, with a further 50,000 required by the telecommunications sector.
At EP Marine & Rail, we’ve assessed and reinforced thousands of wood poles over the past two decades. We know that a pole flagged for attention doesn’t automatically need replacing. Some retain sufficient structural strength for continued service; others can be reinforced to extend their useful life. We’ve even tested (out of professional curiosity) wood utility poles which have been discarded next to their newer replacements, only to discover that the discarded poles had good, serviceable life left in them.
With the wood utility pole shortage putting pressure on replacement programmes, knowing the condition of your existing assets is more important than ever.
The case for assessing existing poles
Replacing a pole because it looks deteriorated, or because it has reached a certain age, can mean removing an asset that still has years of useful service left.
The UK Government’s 2025 Timber in Construction Roadmap projects a decline in domestic softwood availability over the next 25 years, adding to longer-term pressures on timber supply. For network operators, the immediate concern is clear: demand for replacement poles continues, but supply cannot always keep pace.
Our approach is straightforward. We assess the pole’s condition and residual structural capacity, then identify the appropriate intervention. That might mean continued service, reinforcement or replacement. The decision rests on engineering evidence, not assumption.
How many poles actually need replacing?
The results from one of our assessment programmes show what this approach can achieve.
Across 367 S poles on low-, high- and extra-high-voltage networks, we identified 290 poles – 79% of those assessed – as fit for purpose for a minimum of 10 years.
A further 23 confirmed D poles were recommended for reinforcement. In total, 85% of the poles assessed were returned to service.
That’s a significant proportion of assets that did not need to follow a straightforward replacement route.
The condition of each pole matters. Decay around the ground line can compromise structural capacity, but deterioration varies from one pole to another. A proper assessment helps distinguish poles that remain fit for purpose from those that need reinforcement or replacement.
For DNOs dealing with a wood utility pole shortage, this evidence matters. Before committing to replacement, it’s worth establishing whether the pole genuinely needs to come out of service.
PASS: assess the pole before deciding its future
Our PASS system (Pole Analysis and Structural Security) assesses wood poles and investigates deterioration around the ground line, helping us determine their suitability for continued service.
Decay can develop below the surface, where a visual inspection alone may not reveal the full extent of the damage. Our assessment helps establish the condition of the timber and supports an evidence-based decision about the next step.
Getting that decision right can save more than the cost of a replacement pole. Avoiding unnecessary replacement can also reduce labour, equipment and transport costs, along with the disruption involved in planning and carrying out the work. It helps utilities direct their resources towards the poles that genuinely need intervention.
Could treatment extend the life of your existing poles?
Not every pole showing decay needs immediate replacement, but treatment must be appropriate to the condition of the timber.
The future of wood pole preservation is also evolving. Creosote remains approved for treating transmission poles in Great Britain until 2033, but regulators and the industry are investigating alternatives. Those alternatives must demonstrate that they can protect timber effectively over the long service lives required of utility poles. In the meantime, assessing existing assets and identifying opportunities for safe retention or reinforcement remain practical ways to manage replacement demand and make the most of the poles already in service.
Boron-based preservative treatments are one option. Research published in the Journal of Boron in 2023 reviewed their use in limiting external decay and treating internal decay in timber already in service. Under suitable conditions, these treatments can help control fungal activity. Their effectiveness depends on factors such as moisture, the treatment method and the extent of decay.
There is an important distinction: treatment can help control further decay, but it cannot restore structural strength that the timber has already lost.
Where the remaining timber and the pole’s condition make treatment appropriate, a preservative intervention may help protect the sound wood. Where structural capacity has been compromised, reinforcement may offer a practical alternative – provided an engineering assessment confirms it is suitable.
The point is to choose the right intervention for the pole, rather than defaulting to replacement or applying treatment without understanding the underlying condition.
Reinforcement: another option when replacement is under pressure
Where a pole needs additional structural capacity, reinforcement can provide an engineered route to continued service, provided the pole is suitable for it.
At EP Marine & Rail, we reinforce around 30 wood utility poles a week. Our assessment-led approach helps utilities identify suitable poles for reinforcement and carry out the work where the engineering evidence supports it.
For DNOs, that means another option when managing ageing networks, tight budgets and pressure on replacement materials. Rather than treating replacement as the only route forward, you can assess which existing poles offer a safe and practical opportunity for continued service.
We don’t aim to keep every pole in service indefinitely. We aim to help network operators make sound decisions about which poles to retain, reinforce or replace – balancing safety, structural capacity, cost and service life.
Make the most of the poles you already have
The wood utility pole shortage makes it even more important to understand the condition of existing assets before committing to replacement.
Our experience, backed by the results of our assessment programmes, shows that many poles identified for attention still have useful service life remaining. Others may be suitable for reinforcement or appropriate remedial treatment.
Before ordering a replacement, ask one question: has the pole been properly assessed?
At EP Marine & Rail, we help DNOs and telecommunications providers establish what their poles actually need – whether that’s continued service, treatment, reinforcement or replacement.
A better-informed decision can reduce avoidable replacement costs, ease pressure on procurement and maintenance programmes, and help you get more value from the assets already supporting your network.
Find out more about EP Marine & Rail’s wood pole assessment and reinforcement services.