Tree-trimming efforts at Ohio Edison see $22M budget for 2021

In an effort to reduce potential damage from severe weather, Ohio Edison will pump $22 million into vegetation management this year for the 34 counties it services in Ohio.

This work will target the area around 5,050 miles of power lines. So far, nearly 1,200 miles of electric lines have already benefited from trimmed trees, but another 3,850 miles of tree-trimming work should be conducted by the end of the year. Performed on a four-year cycle, management like this includes trimming and removing trees that could be a present danger to electric facilities.

“Proactive tree trimming is some of the most important and effective work we do every year to maintain our power system and minimize the impact of damage caused by severe weather,” Edward Shuttleworth, regional president of Ohio Edison and Penn Power, said. “In order to keep electricity flowing safely and reliably during all types of weather conditions, we have a responsibility to protect the lines that deliver it to homes and businesses across our region.”

This year’s work will include helicopter aerial saws to trim trees in hard-to-access transmission corridors in northeast Ohio, thanks to a contract with Aerial Solutions. Ohio Edison informs both municipalities and customers of trimming schedules before pursuing them. However, the work itself tends to be undertaken by certified forestry expert contractors from various companies working under Ohio Edison’s direction.