HYANNIS – As the ongoing crisis of dead, dying and hazardous trees continues to plague communities across Massachusetts and threaten electric reliability, Eversource is investing more than $41 million in tree trimming and tree removal in 2020.
The energy company’s comprehensive tree maintenance program is underway along roads in several communities around the state in an effort to fortify the electric distribution systems and enhance reliability for customers.
“Trees are the number one cause of power outages to our electric distribution system and it is a constant job that we have, this not something that we do right before storms or right after storms but we have a very robust vegetation management program that we do on an everyday basis,” said Eversource Spokesman Reid Lamberty.
“So we’re out there in communities across the commonwealth on a daily basis trimming trees, and looking at hazard trees, identifying trees and tree limbs that we feel are going to pose the greatest threat to the electric distribution system.”
As part of its comprehensive vegetation management plan for 2020, Eversource will be trimming trees along more than 2,700 miles of overhead distribution lines around the state.
Among 84 Eastern Massachusetts communities where tree trimming will be performed, some of the most extensive work is scheduled to be done in Barnstable along nearly 154 miles of town streets.
Trees will also be trimmed along 117 miles of road in Plymouth.
Eversource notifies customers in advance if work is necessary on their property.
In addition to the work Eversource crews do along roadways to minimize the effects of trees on electric reliability, the energy company reminds customers that homeowners are responsible for tree maintenance on their own property.
That includes keeping branches away from the lower voltage service wires connecting homes and businesses to the main utility lines on the street.
Eversource strongly recommends contacting a professional tree service to perform this work.
For more details regarding Eversource’s tree trimming program and their comprehensive vegetation management program, visit Eversource.com.
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