The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Tuesday has asked the state’s two utilities to suspend their enhanced tree trimming efforts until regulators figure out if their methods are excessive.
In response to the power outages of 2011, the Connecticut legislature asked electric utilities Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating to step up their tree trimming efforts as the majority of outages were caused by trees and branches falling on utility wires.
CL&P and UI filed enhanced tree trimming plans that were approved by regulators. However, PURA opened an investigation into the plans, as many property owners, tree wardens, environmental advocates, and government officials called the tree trimming plans excessive.
PURA’s request on Tuesday only applied to the enhanced tree trimming efforts and not to the routine tree maintenance performed by CL&P and UI. The request may only be temporary if PURA decides the efforts are not excessive.
Regulators are having a technical meeting on March 27 to further review the tree trimming plans.
