Tree Trimming Crews at Work to Clear Utility Right of Way

OPALCO maintains the clearance between trees and shrubs and our power lines on a regular schedule. It’s that time of year again. Professional tree trimming crews will be making their rounds beginning the week of May 18^th. Please look for the crews along our roads on each island:

Week of May 18^th: San Juan Island – Cattle Point and Pear Point areas

Week of May 28^th: Orcas Island – from the Orcas Substation to the Eastsound substation, Montgomery Lane and Crow Valley areas

Week of June 3^rd: Shaw Island – All overhead lines

Week of June 8^th: Lopez Island – Schoolhouse Road and Airport areas

Their scope of work is limited to the established Right-of-Way boundaries to protect the trees from our power lines and protect our system from interruptions of power that can occur when tree limbs come into contact with our lines. If hazardous trees are identified, the land owner will be notified and a local certified arborist will be contracted to remove them with land owner permission. Learn more about OPALCO’s Right-of-Way program.

Clearance is important throughout the system. Members can help by leaving room for the OPALCO crew to work safely on the devices in the field and on members’ property. Please keep landscaping, shrubs and structures at least 10’ away from the front side of electrical devices and at least 3’ away from the other sides. OPALCO crews must be able to safely access field devices (those green boxes in particular) at all times.