Eversource plans to perform 20.85 miles of Enhanced Tree Trimming and 38.30 miles of Scheduled Maintenance Trimming in New Canaan in the coming months for a total of 59.15 miles of their 166.9 total miles of utility lines in town. The utility company provides electricity to over 8,600 New Canaan residential and business customers, and this work is intended to reduce the number of power outages caused by trees.
Work is planned to begin in early March and continue through the summer. Residents impacted should expect to receive a mailer or door-knocker notice describing the work to be performed in front of their property.
Why Eversource invests in tree work:
• To maintain electric service to their customers;
• To assure visual and physical access to their equipment;
• To find trouble sooner and fix it;
• To prevent equipment damage – replacing and repairing equipment is very time-consuming and expensive;
• To assure the safety of the public, their employees and contractors, and for other utility workers (phone, cable TV) who may be working nearby.
Scheduled Maintenance Trimming is performed on a regular basis. The required clearance from power lines is eight feet on the sides, 10 below, and 15 feet above.
Enhanced Tree Trimming is higher-priority, protects the “backbone” of the distribution system and requires greater clearances – eight feet on the sides, 10 feet below and removal of all overhanging limbs whenever possible or a minimum of 20 feet above the line.
With questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at 203-594-3054, Tiger.Mann@newcanaanct.gov or the Tree Warden at 203-594-3107, TreeWarden@newcanaanct.gov .
