When Is Enough Enough? Or Too Much?

This morning on North 5th at Washington Street, a crew of utility workers was busy working on lines atop a National Grid utility pole.  There were two guys up above and at least three below, all working for a company called D & D Power out of Latham, NY, in Albany County.  Lots of trucks and vehicles, lots of cones and signs, lots of noise, lots of diesel exhaust. There were also 3 traffic flaggers who were working for a flagging company.  One sidewalk was closed, as was one lane of traffic.

Yesterday on Washington, which was closed to traffic, I noticed D & D Power workers installing new utility poles next to old ones, creating more double poles for the city.  Once the new poles were installed, National Grid's power lines were transferred from the old poles.  The day before, I noticed the D & D crew working on poles on 6th Street north of Washington, headed down the hill toward Oakdale Park.  The utility pole on 5th that D & D was working on this morning was a relatively new one -- it had been put in the ground by a different utility company last summer, as were at least 4 or 5 others on the street.  (It is a rare sight to see National Grid installing their own utility poles -- they pay others to handle the task (because it's cheaper to?) -- and they never have anyone remove their old poles that have been "replaced" with new ones.  The removal of the old poles is up to Verizon, that is, if and when they transfer their lines, which they rarely do!  OMG, don't get me started!!!)

D & D Power working on Prospect yesterday.  The truck 
was idling and no one was in it or near it.  

This morning, I struck up a conversation with a D & D supervisor to find out what they were up to, and he was happy to oblige.  Here is the gist of what he told me:   

D & D was upgrading the voltage of National Grid's power lines in the neighborhood surrounding the Pocketbook Factory because the current 3,400 volts into the building is not sufficient for their needs.  The lines will now carry 14,000 volts, an amount that, according to him, is not unusual in an urban setting.  (He said that he was surprised at how old the electric system was in Hudson and how old many of the poles were.) 

National Grid hired D & D Power to do the work to upgrade their electric lines, which must be completed by August 1st.  The owners of the Pocketbook Factory will pay National Grid for the electric upgrade that they requested of National Grid.  

Lines, poles and (what utilities call) facilities on the poles will be replaced and worked on as far away as Harry Howard Boulevard.

Of course they need more voltage.
 They leave the lights on 24/7/365!

When I mentioned to the friendly fellow that the enormous old brick building one block away, at the corner of 6th & Washington, was going to be a spa, hotel and possibly a bar, he had a difficult time believing me.  And I can't begin to wonder how much it is costing Sean Roland and Gabe Katz to pay National Grid to upgrade the electricity lines supplying power to one of the two most ill-advised developments this city is currently witnessing and has likely ever had.

This enormous utility pole alongside the western sidewalk on North 6th Street was installed last summer or fall, but it did not replace an old pole.  I asked the contractor who did the installation (I forget who it was, though it was not D & D) why a new pole was needed there and why it had to be so much taller and wider than what is typical for the city.  Pointing to the Pocketbook Factory, all he said was, "they need more power."  

Just about every time I walk past that pole -- always within inches of it, of course -- I curse it and the PB factory.  It's kind of difficult to ignore. The only reason that ugly monstrosity is there is because a few multimillionaires decided that a decrepit old factory in a residential area would make a great hotel and spa, etc.  And City Hall agreed with them, knowing that this would be a big boost and positive thing for the city and for the neighborhood.  Bring on the Bentleys and the Teslas, there's plenty of parking to be had on Washington Street.  And plenty of electricity to go around for everyone.  How many volts do you require tonight, sir and madam?  Our most expensive room will supply you with all the electricity you could ever possibly need.  And we will charge your Cybertruck at no extra cost so that it is fully charged in the morning.  We will park it for you in one of our designated charging spaces out front on 6th Street -- none of the locals are allowed to park there.  We've got everything taken care of for our visitors to Hudson.

What next?  A gigantic windmill or two on the roof of the Pocketbook Factory supplying more POWER and ELECTERICITY to a spa, bar, hotel la de da in an enormous old building in a residential neighborhood?  Sure, why the hell not!