Official: Trees near power lines have to be dealt with
Among the victims of the frequent storms that have ravaged Butler County this summer are trees, which can be blown down by harsh winds or even struck by scattered lightning.
First responders are often dispatched to sites of fallen trees to help with removal, but Mark Jessen, owner of Jessen Tree Service, said this summer has not seen a serious uptick in business for him.
“The tree industry is booming in Butler,” Jessen said. “We're not any more busy than normal.”
Fallen trees can create serious problems when they hit utility poles or wires. They can cause power outages to nearby facilities, or even catch fire from extended heat.
Todd Meyers, spokesman for West Penn Power, said that while company crews trim brush that surrounds utility wires, trees still pose a threat to nearby electricity customers.
“Off-right-of-way trees that fall into our power lines and damage poles, wire and other equipment are the top cause of outages for West Penn Power,” Meyers said. “These are the trees beyond our right-of-ways where we do not have the rights to trim or remove without permission from the property owners.”
West Penn Power tree contractors have trimmed along 1,200 miles of electric lines in its service area this year, according to a news release from the company. The company estimates that it will trim along an additional 3,600 miles by the end of this year as part of its $45 million vegetation-management program.
Meyers said many electric utility companies also have to deal with issues of fallen trees causing power outages on a regular basis.
“It appears as if it will continue the pattern of increasingly violent and severe weather that has plagued not only West Penn Power, but all electric utilities across Pennsylvania over the past four or five years,” Meyers said.
Jessen said his expertise mostly lies in voluntary tree removal, but he sometimes gets calls when a tree lands on private property.
“When it's on the ground, someone usually comes and cleans it up,” Jessen said. “The most calls I get are for tree-stump removal.”
