FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison are conducting tree trimming and other vegetation management work in communities across its West Virginia service area as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance electric service reliability. This year’s $84.7 million tree-trimming program will help keep power flowing to customers by helping to prevent tree-related outages, such as those that can occur during the spring and summer storm season.
On the ground, contractors have trimmed trees along nearly 1,100 miles of power lines across the West Virginia service area since the beginning of the year. The company is on track to complete an additional 6,800 miles of work by the end of the year. Similar work is performed annually by FirstEnergy transmission companies along high-voltage power lines in the company’s service territory.
Jim Myers, President of FirstEnergy’s West Virginia Operations, emphasized the importance of tree trimming in reliability efforts and its effectiveness in reducing the impact of tree-related service interruptions for customers. Crews continually inspect vegetation near power lines to ensure trees are pruned to preserve their health while also maintaining safe clearances. Trees that present a danger or are diseased may be removed.
This year, work is being conducted in various counties and communities across West Virginia, including Barbour, Braxton, Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hancock, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Roane, and Summers.
