LES Tree Program
When it comes to providing
reliable electricity, LES’ track
record is one of the best in the
country. One of the ways we keep
your power on is by decreasing
the risk of a major contributor
to outages—tree branches.
As a result of the largest
blackout in U.S. history in
2003, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) set up a
task force to study the outage
and determine the causes.
Following the release of FERC's report,
the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation
established guidelines for the
nation’s electric utilities. One
standard calls for
vegetation under transmission
lines to be eliminated for
safety and reliability and to
keep costs down.
LES adopted these standards for
all transmission lines carrying
115 kilovolts of electricity or
more for the safety of our
customers and employees, greater
reliability of service and to reduce costs.
Safety Is Key
If power lines are not treated
with respect and caution, trees
near them add an element of
danger to your family.
Electricity can arc from a power
line to a tree branch growing
nearby. The moisture in a tree
can carry electric current to
the ground, which could start a
fire or injure or kill anyone
touching the tree.
And, it’s safer for LES
employees to remove trees near
power lines than to trim them.
To keep everyone safe, trees
under transmission lines must be
removed.
With your help, LES’ tree
trimming program eliminates
any branches that are
potentially dangerous or may
cause an outage. And, we do it in a way
that keeps our community looking
great.
What LES Will Do...
-
Before work begins, LES will
contact you to inform you about
the work that will be done.
If you’re unavailable at the
time, information will be made
available explaining how to
contact us with any questions.
-
In an unsafe situation or to
restore power, LES crews will
solve the problem as quickly as
possible. If a tree threatens
service to LES customers, we
must responsibly cut trees to
maintain safety and reliability.
-
LES seeks to minimize the impact
on customers and their property
when removing trees. Our crews
will make every effort to
protect your property from
damage during tree trimming. If
property is damaged, repairs
will be made. In addition, wood
chips and branches will be
removed.
LES Crews Are Licensed Arborists
When it becomes necessary for
LES to cut or trim vegetation,
you can have confidence in our
crews. LES line clearance
employees are all licensed
arborists who have studied
industry standards and the
proper way to trim trees to
maintain their health.
The expertise of our arborists
is recognized by the National
Arbor Day Foundation. LES has
been named by the Foundation
as a Tree Line USA utility.
The main effort of this program
is to educate customers about
planting the right tree in the
right place and training
employees according to the
Foundation’s work practices for
pruning. By following the
requirements of Tree Line USA, the result is healthier trees
and root systems, which means less decay and structural
weakness and fewer downed lines
during storms.
LES also is a member of Tree
Power, which is sponsored by
the American Public Power
Association. Tree Power requires
utilities to conduct educational
activities about planting the
right tree in the right place.
The Right Tree in the Right
Place
The best way to avoid conflicts
between trees and power lines is
to plant the right tree in the
right place.
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