NYSEG Trims More Than 70 Miles of Electric Lines in Silver Creek, Hanover and Forestville

Company doubling its local tree trimming efforts in 2021 to reduce the impact of severe weather

BINGHAMTON, NY — May 25, 2021 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) announced today it recently completed proactive tree trimming work in the village of Silver Creek and the surrounding area to protect its systems against and reduce the impact of severe weather. The efforts stretched roughly 70 miles throughout a portion of Silver Creek, the town of Hanover and the entire village of Forestville. 

“Trees, branches and foliage are a leading cause of power interruptions,” said Luke Myzel, Distribution Forester for the Lancaster and Lockport Divisions at NYSEG. “When damaged or broken during storms, this vegetation can take down power lines or poles and cause outages. For this reason, NYSEG invests significant resources to proactively conduct tree trimming throughout our service area. This trimming will also help to protect our infrastructure during windy conditions and when snow and ice builds up and weighs down vegetation.”

This year, NYSEG is increasing its tree trimming efforts across its service area. The company plans to trim approximately 700 miles of distribution lines in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Wyoming, and Niagara counties, roughly doubling its efforts in this area from the previous year. The trimming will involve pruning or removing trees and vegetation that could come into contact with its power lines. Additionally, the company will prioritize its worst performing circuits, which deliver power to customers’ homes and businesses, and circuits that greatly impact reliability. 

The company’s work in Silver Creek, Hanover and Forestville focused on roadside and backyard maintenance tree trimming, with the majority of work taking place on roadside. Due to the rural location of the trimming, NYSEG used specialized equipment, skidder bucket trucks, to complete off-road work safely. In addition to routine maintenance tree trimming, NYSEG crews also patrolled the region for hazard trees to evaluate and pursue future full tree removals. 

For more information on the company’s full vegetation management program, visit nyseg.com . 

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About NYSEG: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) is a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40% of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit nyseg.com.

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) is a leading, sustainable energy company with approximately $36 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states. With headquarters in Orange, Connecticut, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 6,600 people. AVANGRID supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2019 and 2020 by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit avangrid.com.

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