A rotting power pole in Mornington was one of many in Aurora’s network which have not been classified as dangerous, whistle-blower Richard Healey says.
An ODT photographer noticed the pole on Havelock St, near where a pot head failed on Tuesday, was falling apart, but had not been red-tagged to indicate it was unsafe to climb.
Mr Healey said the condition of the pole on Havelock St was more evidence the problem was much larger than just the 2910 poles Delta had identified as compromised.
The pole was installed in 1941 and last tested in 2007, Mr Healey said.
The fact poles were not checked regularly meant there were many other poles in the network which were dangerous but had not been classified as such.
Delta general asset manager Derek Todd said it was correct the pole was assessed as serviceable in 2007, but that it was reclassified as compromised on Thursday — the same day ODT asked questions about it.
"As we are carrying out maintenance in Havelock St, we re-tested poles in that street [on Thursday].
"The pole condition has been updated to condition zero, due for replacement and will be included in our planned pole replacement programme."
Mr Todd did not respond to questions about whether the 2910 poles it had identified as compromised were the "tip of the iceberg".
