Aerial tree trimming starts next week

Indiana Michigan Power will begin tree trimming near high voltage transmission lines next week in southwest Michigan using an aerial saw.

The work is routine maintenance to remove overhanging or encroaching branches that can interfere with reliable energy delivery, the company said in a press release.

I&M is contracting with Aerial Solutions Inc. to perform the work using a helicopter-based saw. The saw is suspended beneath a helicopter by a vertical boom with multiple blades attached. Aerial trimming is faster and more easily reaches off-road areas than traditional trimming.

The aerial trimming is scheduled to begin early the week of May 15 and continue for two or three weeks, weather permitting. The helicopter will fly near transmission lines in Cass, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.