Being a line worker isn't easy.

If your house is warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and the lights come on when you flip the switch, you can thank a line worker. Line workers connect the power of your cooperative to its critical applications like heating and cooling your home, powering your technology, and even powering hospitals, schools, and commercial facilities that keep our economy moving.

But, being a line worker isn’t easy. Did you know the equipment and tools that a line worker carries while climbing a utility pole can weigh up to 50 pounds? That’s the same as carrying six gallons of water. Speaking of utility poles, line workers are required to climb poles ranging anywhere from 30 to 120 feet tall. Needless to say, if you have a fear of heights, this likely isn’t the career path for you.

Line workers must be committed to their career — because it’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. Line workers often work non-traditional hours, outdoors in difficult conditions. When outages occur, line workers are ready to pick up and go, regardless of the day or time. South Central Power’s line workers travel across our 24-county service area and maintain more than 12,000 miles of line. But when needed, they can travel even farther. Our line workers have provided mutual aid to other utilities who face natural disasters, in Ohio and elsewhere. Last year, a group of line workers traveled to western North Carolina to help restore power after devastating floods. Four of our line workers this year even traveled overseas to build a power grid for people who had never seen the benefits of electricity.

Becoming a journeyman line worker can take more than 7,000 hours of training, because working with high-voltage equipment requires specialized skills, experience, and an ongoing mental toughness. Shortcuts are not an option, and there is no room for error in this line of work.

So, the next time you see a line worker, please thank them for the work they do to keep power flowing, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. After all, line workers are the power behind your power.

From the April 2025 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.