Submitted by Mitch Gross, Eversource.
BERLIN, Conn. (April 29, 2020) – As Eversource continues to ensure safe, reliable service while working to protect employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy company has adopted a “No Knock, No Hang” tree work permissions policy. With trees being the number one cause of power outages, tree trimming along roads remains an integral part of Eversource’s commitment to providing reliable power to customers year-round. Operating under its pandemic plan, the energy company’s licensed arborists and tree contractors are obtaining customer consent for any tree work on private property using phone calls, e-mails or texts, rather than knocking on doors or leaving behind permission paperwork. 
“With the critical need for ‘social distancing’ during this pandemic, we’ve modified our policies to keep our customers, employees and contractors safe,” said Eversource Vegetation Management Manager Alan Carey. “Tree trimming and removal is essential work to ensure electric reliability for our customers. We’re now using technology to communicate with customers to get the required permission to do necessary tree work on private property.”
In 2020, Eversource is investing more than $83 million in tree trimming and tree removal in Connecticut. The energy company’s comprehensive tree maintenance program is underway along roads in several communities around the state in an effort to fortify the electric distribution system. Eversource’s team of licensed arborists closely collaborates with the tree warden in each town where work is done to balance the need for providing reliable electricity while maintaining aesthetics. As a reminder, all Eversource tree contractors carry energy company identification, will never seek to enter a private residence, and there is no cost to the property owner for this work.
Click here to see a short video about the energy company’s tree trimming efforts, and for more details on Eversource’s comprehensive vegetation management program, visit Eversource.com.
