Versant Power, the electricity utility in northern and eastern Maine, is replacing miles of bare wire strung from utility poles here. The new lines are “covered conductors,” which are transmission wires wrapped in insulated material. Judging from what I’ve seen on the poles, the new wire apparently is color-coded:
Covered conductors make the wire more resistant to damage that can be caused by falling trees and branches, thereby reducing electricity faults and outages. (Maine is the most forested state in the U.S., based on percentage of forested land.) “The number one cause of outages in our service territory is trees and branches,” according to a statement on the Versant website.
(Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on July 14, 2025.)