Local People: Kyle Kuhl, Power Line Technician, Okotoks

Aug 13, 2026, 19:06 PM

How does your work make a positive impact for FortisAlberta customers?

A lot of my work is about helping customers move plans forward, whether that is completing upgrades to an existing service, connecting a new service or making emergency repairs when necessary. We also help customers by safely restoring power when outages occur during major storms, from accidental line contacts or any other reason that may cause a disruption to their service.

What is something about your job that those who are unfamiliar with the work might find surprising?

Many people assume work on overhead lines or equipment is all done by power line technicians being lifted by bucket trucks but manually climbing a 30-foot pole is still a very important part of our job. Not all poles or work locations are accessible by truck due to terrain, waterways, heavily forested areas; it can be any number of reasons.

What is a key memory from your time at FortisAlberta?

Within my first six months at FortisAlberta, a brand-new piece of equipment failed as soon as we energized it. That is, a piece of equipment that had never been energized and should have had no defects. When the power flow was re-established, the power shot straight to ground, as electricity always wants to do; find the fastest route to the ground.

Those of us on site were in our full personal protective equipment and all safety precautions had been taken, but it gave me a real respect for what can happen with electricity when something goes wrong. It was certainly a surprise given how new I was at the job, but it also really showed me how important it is for all of us to remain diligent when it comes to our commitment to safety.

How have you seen service improve since joining FortisAlberta?

Projects are now being completed from start to finish in much less time than when I first started. That improvement is an accomplishment for the whole company. I can say that from both the perspective of being here more than a decade and seeing things change, but even just looking back the last few years, there is a noticeable difference in timelines. This is something I feel we’re always looking to improve. We have a lot of conversations, internally and with customers, about how to better serve both new and long-time customers.

How does your work support FortisAlberta’s wildfire prevention efforts?

We help prevent wildfires in a number of ways. One of the bigger things we do during dry conditions is adjust pieces of equipment to a setting that turns power off more quickly if there is a fault. That can help prevent a fire from starting if a wire goes down or a tree falls into a line. We also carry Fire Suppression kits on all of our trucks in case we arrive at a downed line or find a piece of equipment and feel there’s a risk. We’re all very prepared and very aware of the wildfire risk in Alberta, which means we always show up on site with wildfire mitigation top-of-mind.

How do you and your team meet FortisAlberta’s safety standards each day?

As a construction crew, we are always looking out for each other. We stay in good communication, point things out as they come up and make sure everyone is aware of the changing conditions on our job sites.

How do you prepare for a challenging day of work?

Completing MoveSafe® and doing a good walk-around help me get my mind focused on the work ahead.

What is your favourite part of the work?

My favourite part is restoring power to large areas after a major storm or extreme weather event. Most of our power line technicians live in communities FortisAlberta serves so we know what it’s like when a storm rolls in and knocks out power. We know it’s not just our power out, but our family and neighbour’s as well. When we’re able to restore power, customers are often very thankful for the hard work that went into those efforts.

What is the most challenging part of the job?

One of the most challenging parts can be working at a scene where there’s been an accident or a situation where we need to isolate a portion of line to ensure public safety. We’ve had situations where people who should not be in the area approach to ask about what happened, how long the power outage will be or just want to see what’s going on. Those distractions make difficult situations even more difficult.

When you are not at work, what might community members find you doing?

When I am not at work, I try to relax in a few different ways. In the summer, I might be at the river throwing a frisbee for my dog, or I might be hiking in the foothills or mountains.