CL&P tree trimming info

The Town's Tree Warden, Joe Michelangelo, provided this info to the Council via the TM:

The tree trimming work scheduled for the remainder of the year is:

Wiese Rd - All
Wallingford Rd - Route 10 to Charles Dr
Far Horizon Dr - Wallingford Rd to Carriage Dr
Carriage Dr - Far Horizon to Academy Rd
Country Club Rd - Wolf Hill Rd to Buckland Dr
Ives Row - Mountain Rd to Foster Rd.
South Meriden Rd - Yalesville Rd to Courtland Rd (New poles and lines)
Yalesville Rd - South Meriden to Terrell Farm Rd (New poles and lines)

We have requested a list of work that has already been performed this year.

CL&P has different standards for Enhanced and Maintenance Trimming, but basically they cut everything 8’ on both sides of the power lines, and 20’ above them. Ground growth is generally topped off at 14’ high, but it varies depending on the height of the lines. From my experience with utility work, the backbone lines are typically cleared on a 4-5 year cycle, and the lateral lines on a 6-7 year cycle. This requires them to do at least 15% of their lines in a given year. From the schedule above, they are way short. We can keep on CL&P to ensure we get our fair share of tree trimming work performed.

As a side note, since CL&P passes on the cost of this tree work to their rate payers, the amount of money they spend on tree work is tied to their DPUC rate approvals. In an effort to keep the rates lower, the DPUC generally reduces the amount of money that the power companies request.

Just thought this may interest some of you. And if I recall correctly, the position of "Tree Warden" is defined by Charter.

Tim White