NYSEG Crews Looking for Stray Voltage Conditions

New York State Electric and Gas has announced the utility is starting another round of stray voltage testing.

NYSEG - and sister utility Rochester Gas and Electric - plan to conduct the tests throughout the year. The companies are subsidiaries of Iberdrola USA.

The utilities say the New York State Public Service Commission requires stray voltage testing.

Testing has started in NYSEG's Oneonta, Brewster, Liberty and Lockport divisions. It's also underway in RG&E's Lakeshore division.

Metal streetlight poles are tested when streetlights are on. Other testing is conducted during the daytime.

Hundreds of thousands of pieces of equipment will be tested for stray voltage, which can cause injury or death.

In addition to poles, traffic signals, manhole covers, substation fences and transformers will be tested.

Stray voltage is an electric current in the earth or in ground water resulting from the grounding of electrical equipment or an electrical distribution system.

People or animals coming into contact with stray voltage can be seriously hurt or killed.