The cost of a communication tower, which fell due to rain and blizzard conditions near New Salem last week and contributed to power loss in the region, will be covered by insurance.

Morton County Emergency 911 Director Tammy Lapp-Harris said the tower collapsed shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday about three miles south of the city.

"Because we had all the rain and the wind, it created ice on the 300-foot tower. Because of the wind and all that extra weight from the ice, it toppled. It fell in four different pieces," she said Monday morning.

"Part of it went across their power lines, which is what cut the power to begin with. Another section of the tower hit the building which got minimal damage. Another part hit the gate, getting into the area

"In the process, it took out the power lines that Mor-Grant-Sou operates. In the process, we had to remove the old tower. We got in a portable tower from Verizon Wireless out of Alexandria, Minn," she said. "They brought that up Friday night and had it up Saturday and got the equipment switched over," Harris said.

The collapse of the tower interrupted some emergency communications for some parts of the county for up to 48 hours.

"With backup communications, it was intermittent. Depending on the area, we had no communications in some areas because all our radio equipment was out there, " Harris added.

"We are now waiting for Great Plains Power of Fargo to put up a new tower, which they started on Saturday already. We are hoping within a week that everything is back up again."

She said the power line companies will cover the replacement of the lines and the county is not liable for those repairs.

"That is all part of the emergency storm situation," Harris said.

She said the anchor from the old tower has already been removed. The generators have been turned off by the sheriff's department as a precaution.

Cost to replace and install the new tower is estimated at $66,000.

She said estimates on the new antennas are still pending.

"It was an overload of ice. We just had it inspected two months ago," Harris told the commission. "We know that's definitely what the problem was."

She said the tower is more than 20 years old, but was not one of two scheduled for replacement.

She said she is working with Morton auditor Paul Trauger to receive the replacement value for the tower.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@;bismarcktribune.com.)