ONE of the leading causes of power outages is trees contacting power lines. The Lines Company (TLC) said vegetation encroaching on power lines presents a real danger to the public and can cause interruptions to customers’ power supply, especially during high winds and storms. Vegetation manager, Jason Gaukrodger said branches meeting lines can cause power outages, fires and can even electrocute people or livestock. In some cases, overgrown trees prevented TLC’s line mechanics from repairing equipment safely and quickly. Between April and September, there were a total of 62 vegetation related outages. The average duration customers were without power for each outage was approximately three-and-a-half hours. To reduce damage and disruption caused by trees, TLC prune and fell trees that obstruct lines and infrastructure and educate people on planting and trimming trees near power lines. “The safety of our customers is our top priority; if you have a tree near power lines that needs trimming or felling, it is best to contact us, and we will come out and discuss the options to sort out the tree. In certain situations, we may cover the cost of the first cut or trim. “The best advice we can give people on our network is prevention is the best solution. Plan where you plant your trees in relation to power lines and trim your trees regularly before they encroach close to power lines,” Jason said. With the tree owner responsible for keeping their trees pruned and away from overhead lines – TLC will issue a cut or trim notice if a tree is encroaching the growth limit and require the tree owner to have the tree trimmed.
