Utility Poles Hide a Number Code: Taipower Reveals How 'Pole Numbers' Guide Lost Hikers
Taipower has partnered with the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association to install signs on utility poles along three national greenways. The pole numbers serve as a safety code to guide lost hikers back to safety.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 20:21
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 20:31 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 21:39 (1h 7m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, 18th) Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) has partnered for the first time with the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association to select three national greenways in northern, central, and southern Taiwan: Danlan Trail, Raknus Selu Trail, and Mountains to Sea National Greenway. They have hung a total of 80 exclusive identification signs on utility poles along these routes to guide hikers. Taipower revealed that the numbers on the pole signs actually conceal a safety code to guide lost hikers on their journey safely home.
Taipower held an unveiling ceremony today at the Shiding main utility pole behind Shiding Elementary School in New Taipei City, along with an event titled 'Where There is Light, There is a Way! Taipower 80th Anniversary Craftsman Experience'. Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng, Thousand Miles Trail Association Executive Director Chou Sheng-hsin, New Taipei City Economic Development Department Commissioner Sheng Hsiao-jung, and Taiwan Power and Energy Engineering Association Chairman Liu Wen-hsiung attended the event. They joined the public in experiencing the hardship of Taipower workers by carrying a 60-meter, 250-kilogram cable, and walked the Danlan Trail to experience the fun and reassurance of 'letting the utility poles guide the way'.
In this collaboration with the Thousand Miles Trail Association, Taipower selected popular hiking trails—Danlan Trail, Raknus Selu Trail, and Mountains to Sea National Greenway—and hung directional signs on utility poles along the routes, allowing the poles to serve a wayfinding function.
Furthermore, each utility pole features a blue 'pole sign' marked with a power coordinate number that acts as its 'ID card', providing crucial positioning information to the outside world.
Taipower explained that power coordinates divide the map of Taiwan into coordinate zones from A to Z, with each zone further subdivided into grids for numbering. When used with Taipower's map coordinate positioning system website, it achieves highly accurate search results akin to a radar positioning system.
Taipower also shared a piece of trivia about the numbers on the pole signs. Because the numbering principle for pole signs extends outward from areas with high electricity demand and dense populations, the 'pole number' displayed in the middle of the sign starts with a smaller number in the city center and gradually increases toward the suburbs or mountainous areas. If hikers get lost in the mountains, they just need to observe the pole signs and move in the direction of 'smaller pole numbers' to follow the line back to populated settlements.
Taipower stated that as long as hikers learn to observe the safety code on the pole signs, they can proceed with peace of mind, and the public can also feel the close connection between electricity and daily life. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun, Wan Shu-chang) 1150418
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(CNA Reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, 18th) Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) has partnered for the first time with the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association to select three national greenways in northern, central, and southern Taiwan: Danlan Trail, Raknus Selu Trail, and Mountains to Sea National Greenway. They have hung a total of 80 exclusive identification signs on utility poles along these routes to guide hikers. Taipower revealed that the numbers on the pole signs actually conceal a safety code to guide lost hikers on their journey safely home.
Taipower held an unveiling ceremony today at the Shiding main utility pole behind Shiding Elementary School in New Taipei City, along with an event titled 'Where There is Light, There is a Way! Taipower 80th Anniversary Craftsman Experience'. Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng, Thousand Miles Trail Association Executive Director Chou Sheng-hsin, New Taipei City Economic Development Department Commissioner Sheng Hsiao-jung, and Taiwan Power and Energy Engineering Association Chairman Liu Wen-hsiung attended the event. They joined the public in experiencing the hardship of Taipower workers by carrying a 60-meter, 250-kilogram cable, and walked the Danlan Trail to experience the fun and reassurance of 'letting the utility poles guide the way'.
In this collaboration with the Thousand Miles Trail Association, Taipower selected popular hiking trails—Danlan Trail, Raknus Selu Trail, and Mountains to Sea National Greenway—and hung directional signs on utility poles along the routes, allowing the poles to serve a wayfinding function.
Furthermore, each utility pole features a blue 'pole sign' marked with a power coordinate number that acts as its 'ID card', providing crucial positioning information to the outside world.
Taipower explained that power coordinates divide the map of Taiwan into coordinate zones from A to Z, with each zone further subdivided into grids for numbering. When used with Taipower's map coordinate positioning system website, it achieves highly accurate search results akin to a radar positioning system.
Taipower also shared a piece of trivia about the numbers on the pole signs. Because the numbering principle for pole signs extends outward from areas with high electricity demand and dense populations, the 'pole number' displayed in the middle of the sign starts with a smaller number in the city center and gradually increases toward the suburbs or mountainous areas. If hikers get lost in the mountains, they just need to observe the pole signs and move in the direction of 'smaller pole numbers' to follow the line back to populated settlements.
Taipower stated that as long as hikers learn to observe the safety code on the pole signs, they can proceed with peace of mind, and the public can also feel the close connection between electricity and daily life. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun, Wan Shu-chang) 1150418
Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom
Download CNA 'First Hand News' APP, grasp the latest news instantly
The text, images, and audio/video on this website are not to be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.