NB Power boosts tree-trimming budget after ice storms
New technology to measure distance between tree branches and power lines will also be tested
NB Power is boosting its tree-trimming budget after back-to-back ice storms in December left 88,000 customers in southern and central New Brunswick without electricity during an 11-day period.
"Trees make our province a beautiful place to live, but they are also the leading cause of power outages in New Brunswick," said NB Power president Gaëtan Thomas at a news conference in Rothesay, which was one of the hardest-hit communities in the ice storms.
"Trees and branches falling into power lines during severe weather caused about 30 per cent of unplanned outages during the last two years."
NB Power will also test a system designed to identify where trees have the potential to come into contact with power lines.
The remote-sensing technology uses a laser to measure the distance between trees and power lines through analyzing reflected light and indicate which power lines are at risk of having contact with trees.
The company also said it will improve communication with property owners who are affected by tree-trimming.
Efforts are also being made to give improved information online about the estimated time of power restoration.
NB Power says it will also improve communications to help customers understand how and why priorities are set in restoring power where a large number of customers are affected by numerous outages.