JCP&L To Trim Trees in Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights

JCP&L will be paying a visit to Summit, New Providence and Berkeley Heights in the coming weeks as a part of the company's $24 million 2013 vegetation management program.

The company successfully inspected and trimmed trees along nearly 4,000 miles of lines across its system in 2012, according to a JCP&L press release. To help maintain safe and reliable electric service, JCP&L regularly trims trees and conducts vegetation management work along its electric distribution lines on a four year cycle.

“The vegetation management program is an important component of our annual investment in infrastructure to deliver reliable service to customers,” said Don Lynch, JCP&L president. “The severe weather events that our region has experienced over the past few years have heightened everyone’s awareness about how trees impact electric infrastructure and the potential dangerous conditions that can result when trees and power lines touch.”

The company’s certified forestry experts inspect vegetation near the lines and make every effort to prune trees in a manner that preserves the health of the tree, while also maintaining safety near electric facilities. When necessary, trees that present a danger or are diseased will be removed, according to the release. JCP&L works with municipalities to inform them of vegetation management
schedules. Customers living in areas along company right-of-ways are also notified prior to work being done.

Last month, JCP&L worked along 410 curcuit miles serving Berkeley Township, and Lakewood in Ocean County; Long Branch in Monmouth County; and Parsippany and Dover in Morris County, according to the release. In addition to Summit, New Providence and Berkeley Heights, work in February includes more than 300 miles in the following counties and municipalities:

• Hunterdon – Asbury, Bloomsbury, Flemington, Readington, Stockton
• Middlesex – Englishtown, Jamesburg, Old Bridge, Monroe, Spotswood, and Sayreville
• Monmouth – Asbury Park, Deal, Eatontown, Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Ocean, Sea Bright, Tinton Falls and West Long Branch
• Morris – Chatham, Chester, Dover, Flanders, Kenvil, Lincoln Park, Mendham, Mine Hill, Montville, Morristown, Oak Ridge, Pompton Plains, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway and Succasunna
• Ocean – Brick, Lakewood
• Passaic – West Milford
• Somerset – Bernardsville, Peapack-Gladstone
• Sussex – Franklin, Hamburg, Stockholm
• Warren – Blairstown

Editor's note: This information was submitted to Summit Patch by JCP&L.