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From Mirror staff reports
Penelec, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., will continue to trim trees across service areas in the state as part of its efforts to enhance electric service reliability.
Maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment can reduce the frequency and duration of tree-related power outages, especially those associated with severe weather such as thunderstorms.
Since the beginning of the year, contractors have trimmed along 1,000 miles of distribution and transmission lines as part of the company's $39.4 million vegetation management program for 2021. Penelec's program should complete an additional 3,200 miles of work by year's end.
The company has completed a five-year program to remove more than 200,000 dead and dying ash trees impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer along 18,000 miles of power line rights-of-way.
Penelec is scheduled in 2021 to trim trees along transmission lines and distribution circuits in areas including Bedford, Altoona, Roaring Spring, Fallentimber and Beccaria.
Penelec serves approximately 585,000 customers within 17,600 square miles of northern and central Pennsylvania.