We are delivering on our commitment to boost reliability by carrying out our four-point plan throughout Ann Arbor. We are trimming trees, updating existing infrastructure, rebuilding significant portions of the grid, and accelerating our transition to a smart grid to continue to provide our customers with the power they need and the reliability they deserve. Because fallen tree branches account for half of the time that our customers are without power, trimming trees is an effective way to help ensure that your power stays on, especially during extreme weather.
Crews are proactively trimming six miles of trees along Park Road in Ann Arbor as a part of this preventative maintenance. We have two objectives when trimming trees. First, primary lines must have 10 feet of clearance. Primary lines carry medium voltage power to transformers near our customers, which is why they require significant space between the wires and tree branches. The second objective it to provide at least six feet of clearance between, secondary lines, which carry low voltage power, and any tree branches.
These improvements will reduce the time our customers spend without power by an average of 50%. We work with several professional tree trimming companies, who are trained to focus on and environmentally responsible tree care. Once this work is complete, if there is wood or debris, wood is cut into manageable pieces, chipped, and removed. You can stay up to date on where we will continue to trim trees by checking our electric reliability improvements map or the Ann Arbor community page.