FirstEnergy Continues Tree Trimming Program in The Illuminating Company Service Area
Work Includes 2,000 Miles of Power Lines and Helps Enhance Reliability
AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To help enhance service reliability for customers, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) continues to conduct tree trimming work in communities across The Illuminating Company's northeast Ohio service area to maintain proper clearances around electrical equipment and help protect against tree-related outages.
Since the beginning of the year, contractors have trimmed trees along more than 1,500 miles of distribution and transmission lines in The Illuminating Company service area as part of the company's more than $15 million vegetation management program for 2016, with an additional 500 miles expected to be completed by year-end.
During the next several months, The Illuminating Company will conduct tree trimming work in the following communities: Bay Village, Bedford, Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid, Fairport Harbor, Gates Mills, Geneva Township, Hambden Township, Hunting Valley, Kirtland, Madison Township, Mayfield Heights, Middlefield, Newburgh Heights, Parma, Waite Hill and Westlake.
"Tree trimming is a key component in our efforts to enhance customer service reliability," said John Skory, regional president, The Illuminating Company. "In continuing this successful program, our goal is to reduce service interruptions by protecting our wires and other infrastructure from tree-related damage."
The vegetation management work is conducted by certified forestry experts under the company's direction, including: Asplundh Tree Expert Company; Davey Tree Expert Company; Lewis Tree Service, Inc.; and Townsend Tree Service.
As part of its notification process, The Illuminating Company works with municipalities to inform them of tree trimming schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way also are notified prior to vegetation management work being done.
The tree trimming is done on a four-year cycle. Vegetation is inspected and trees are pruned in a manner that helps preserve the health of the tree while also maintaining safety near electric facilities. Trees that are considered to present a danger or are diseased may be removed.
The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Follow The Illuminating Company on Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy on the web at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of workers using bucket trucks to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
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