Full Text:

CL&P Tree Trimming Efforts Progressing

(with photo)

This week, Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) Account Executive George

Breitwieser said that the extensive tree trimming of Davey Tree crew is

progressing well.

"It's going pretty good, I would say," Mr Breitwieser said. "The purpose of

the trimming is a reliability factor," he added, referring to CL&P's efforts

to reduce the amount of interference in their service due to overgrown tree

branches that threaten power lines.

Trees that have been identified as a threat to residential power flow have

been cleared to maintain the recommended clearance of eight feet alongside

electric lines, and 15 feet above and 10 feet beneath the lowest power line.

In addition to supplying a substantial risk to power service, the trees that

were found to be dead, decaying, or structurally unstable were also cleared.

The trimming started in February, with work being done along stretches of

Hawleyville and Currituck Roads in Hawleyville. Since then, roads including

Boggs Hill, Queen Street, Church Hill, and Route 25 have been areas of

clearing concentration for Davey crew members.

Although the clearing efforts have created mild traffic jams along Newtown

thoroughfares and some unsightly piles of defeated tree branches, Mr

Breitwieser said that Newtown residents "have been very cooperative."

Residents whose homes were in proximity of the cutting received permission

slips in the mail to allow the cutting to commence, according to Mr

Breitweiser.

One resident of Boggs Hill Road, who did not want his name used, did not seem

to mind the trimming. "I was surprised that it took as long as it did," he

said. "But I think they've done a pretty good job."

Over the past week, Davey Tree crew workers have collected numerous fallen

branches off the side of the road, though the effort will prove to be ongoing.

It is unclear how many more sites the trimming teams will focus their efforts

on in the months to come.