What we must learn from 1995: the great Kobe-earthquake considerations on the distribution power poles

The great Kobe earthquake destroyed numerous electric power facilities. Officials estimated the minimum total cost of the damage from this earthquake to be Y230 billion (US$2.3 billion). The quake halted the power supply to over one million users for 9000 minutes. This long blackout resulted from heavy destruction to the distribution system, as the heavy shock of the quake forced numerous power poles to incline, sending line conductors to the ground below. Fortunately, safety systems adequately protected main facilities like electric power stations and substations from serious damage. Field observations focussed on two areas: (1) location of heavy equipment on the power poles; (2) reinforcement of the power poles after the quake. The results of our survey indicate that preventive adjustments and reinforcements are urgently needed to protect the power poles against future earthquakes