Eversource to Begin West Hartford Tree Trimming in Late January
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Eversource tree trimming illustration (we-ha.com file photo)
Eversource has provided a list of streets in West Hartford where trees will be trimmed during 2023.
By Ronni Newton
Eversource will begin its annual vegetation management program in late January, and has provided the Town of West Hartford with a list of streets where they plan to conduct work this year ranging from maintenance tree-trimming and pruning, to more extensive tree trimming, to removal of trees that are decayed, insect-infested or otherwise damaged or structurally week and pose a danger to power lines.
Incidents related to trees are the major cause of power outages during storm in Connecticut, Town Manager Rick Ledwith said in his report to the Town Council last week. In West Hartford, 25% of the power outages in 2022 were caused by trees, resulting in outages for 3,760 of Eversource’s 28,953 customers.
“Eversource plans to trim trees along 67.8 miles of overhead electric distribution lines, 15.1 miles are along the backbone of the electrical grid,” Ledwith said. He noted, however, that between 2018 and 2022, there were 805 customers that refused to allow Eversource to trim branches that were touching power lines.
“We are asking for resident cooperation as Eversource performs this important work to keep our town up and running year-round,” Ledwith said. There is no cost to residents for the tree trimming.
Planned and scheduled vegetation management of 2022 will include work on the electric transmission rights-of-way (ROW) in West Hartford indicated on the map below. (Also provided as a PDF below the article.) Side pruning, and selective removal of hazardous trees will take place along the ROW or just beyond the edge of the area, and will be reviewed in advance by the town, officials said.
In addition, all tree removal that extends beyond the limits of the ROW easement will be discussed with the property owners in advance of the work. Eversource is hopeful that property owners will permit the work to take place, since damage from tree limbs, or entire trees, falling across power lines is the leading source of outages.
Map of West Hartford provided by Eversource indicates main power lines in red and feeds to streets in blue.
The following links provide more details regarding the types of maintenance planned.
- Scheduled Maintenance Trimming (SMT)
- Enhanced Tree Trimming (ETT)
- Maintenance Enhanced Tree Trimming (METT)
Anyone with questions about the tree-trimming program can obtain more information by going to this webpage which includes a list of FAQs.
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The map is a great idea. Unfortunately, it seems that you can’t tap it to either expand it or open it in another window so as to read it. Am I missing something?
The link to the map on the town’s website is here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1674768546/westhartfordctgov/pn51qzprr3hsxemsxuln/2023_WESTHARTFORD_TREE_MAINTENANCE_MAP.pdf
I’ll upload it at the end of an article as a PDF which may make it easier to see.
Eversource is not doing any of the “trimming”. They contract with Asplundh and pay them millions and then that cost is passed on through to the consumer. There is little to no evidence that this practice even prevents outages. A hurricane or tropical storm is going to cause major outages regardless of this supposed preventative measure.
“There is little to no evidence that this practice even prevents outages.”
What information exactly are you basing that statement on? Care to state a source?
Here, the Emergency Manager for the Town of Woodbury, CT cites VASTLY different numbers. Seems that the Emergency Manager for a town in CT would know a thing or two about this:
https://ctmirror.org/2021/06/07/tree-management-is-crucial-to-uninterrupted-electricity/
Here is another source that states:
According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), vegetation management, particularly trees that grow or fall into overhead power lines, is the single largest cause of electric power outages.
https://www.tdworld.com/vegetation-management/article/21239691/outsmart-vegetationrelated-power-outages
If you want to make statements like that you should at least be willing to provide some info on how you are coming to that conclusion. Id love to hear it….
No evidence? We lost power once in the Summer for 4 days that’s to UCONN not maintaining their property and once because a neighbor did the same. Who cares if they use a contractor. Frankly, they should just give the cheap skate home owners the bill
My point exactly. Trimming tree branches will prevent isolated outrages. Will never prevent widespread events…
Hello, I’d like to know if Eversource actually notifies each property owner directly that tree trimming work is scheduled. Thank you.