SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is committed to balancing the importance of trees with the equally important need to deliver electricity safely and reliably. I&M will begin tree trimming next week near transmission power lines in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan using an aerial saw.
Trimming will begin April 26 and last approximately 4-5 weeks, running Monday – Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting, near transmission power lines in the following counties:
Indiana:
- Elkhart
- Laporte
- Lake
- Porter
- St. Joseph
Michigan:
- Berrien
- Cass
- Kalamazoo
- St. Joseph
- Van Buren
Customers may see and hear a helicopter-based-tree-trimming saw near transmission power lines as I&M works with LaRoche Tree and Aerial Solutions. The tree-trimming tool is suspended beneath a helicopter by a vertical boom with multiple motor power saw blades attached. The helicopter will fly at tree-top heights while working.
Aerial trimming is faster and more easily reaches areas away from roadways than traditional tree trimming crews using ground equipment.
Customers with questions should contact I&M at 1-800-311-4634.
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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 599,000 customers. More than 85% of its energy delivered in 2020 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s approximately 16,800 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 223,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,500 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Schneè Garrett
Communications Representative
Indiana Michigan Power
(574) 218-5987
smgarrett@aep.com