06/23/2026
In high fire severity zones, resilient infrastructure is essential. Our latest case study highlights how Anza Electric Cooperative is strengthening wildfire resilience across its rugged Southern California service area with McWane ductile iron poles.
After starting with a pilot installation in 2018, Anza now maintains 500–600 ductile iron poles across its system, helping improve durability, simplify inspections, speed up installation, and reduce long-term maintenance demands. During one wildfire event, approximately 35 wood poles were lost, while nearby ductile iron poles remained standing and helped keep roadways clear.
Don’t just take our word from it. Here’s Sandy King, Engineering Manager at Anza:
“While the upfront cost is higher, we see immediate savings through reduced labor resulting from more efficient installations. Over time, their long service life more than pays for the initial investment. By moving to ductile iron, we have avoided the costs associated with damage that occurs from natural wood degradation and woodpeckers. And in a wildfire scenario, the value is
immediate. There’s much less risk of pole failure, which helps us avoid costly cascading situations.”
Read the full case study at www.mcwanepoles.com/learning-center/case-studies/anza-electric-cooperative-strengthens-wildfireresilience-with-mcwane-poles