{"id":473142,"date":"2021-04-07T14:48:29","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T18:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/?p=473142"},"modified":"2021-04-07T14:48:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T18:48:29","slug":"west-penn-powers-2021-tree-trimming-program-to-enhance-service-reliability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/west-penn-powers-2021-tree-trimming-program-to-enhance-service-reliability\/","title":{"rendered":"West Penn Power’s 2021 Tree Trimming Program to Enhance Service Reliability"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Work includes trimming along 4,800 miles of power lines<\/h2>\n

PR Newswire<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

\n GREENSBURG, Pa.<\/span>, April 7, 2021<\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ —\u00a0West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), continues to conduct tree trimming work in communities across its 24-county Pennsylvania<\/span> service area as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance service reliability.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n \"West
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment can reduce the frequency and duration of tree-related power outages, especially those associated with severe weather such as spring and summer thunderstorms.<\/p>\n

Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed along 1,200 miles of electric lines in the West Penn Power service area as part of the $45 million<\/span> vegetation management program for 2021. West Penn Power’s program\u00a0remains on track to complete an additional 3,600 miles of work by year end.<\/p>\n

The tree trimming program includes inspecting vegetation near the lines to ensure trees are pruned in a manner that helps preserve the health of the tree, while also maintaining safety near electric facilities.\u00a0Trees that present a danger or are diseased also may be removed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Vegetation management along power lines helps keep the lights on for our customers and allows our line crews to more quickly restore service after storms,” said John Rea<\/span>, regional president of West Penn Power. “In 2020, we proactively removed more than 110,000 trees that could have damaged or interfered with our electric distribution lines, including nearly 20,000 deteriorated ash trees harmed or killed by the Emerald Ash Borer.” <\/p>\n

West Penn Power’s tree program in 2021 includes about $3 million<\/span> to remove about 20,000 dead and dying ash trees along distribution lines in western Pennsylvania.\u00a0Crews have removed about 4,500 ash trees so far this year.<\/p>\n

West Penn Power is scheduled in 2021 to trim trees along transmission lines and distribution circuits in the following counties:<\/p>\n