AEP Ohio is teaming up with Aerial Solutions to test a new all-electric technology that will help clear trees around power lines and equipment in rural areas — and it’s all happening from the sky.
Helicopters with aerial saws have been used for years to help trim trees in hard to reach, more rural areas. Now, with the introduction of the e-saw — an all-electric version of the aerial saw — this work can be done in a more environmentally-friendly way.
Benefits of the e-saw include:
- Reduced carbon emissions: It uses battery power instead of gas and weighs less
- Lower noise impact
- Reduced downtime
- More cost efficient
“Fallen trees and branches are one of the most common causes of power outages, so we’re always looking for efficient, effective and safe ways to keep our power lines clear of tree limbs,” Dale V. Hopkins, AEP Ohio forestry manager, said. “The aerial electric saw allows us to do exactly that while also providing several additional benefits to our customers.”
Hear more about how we’re using the aerial electric saw to clear rural right-of-ways and see it in action in McConnelsville, OH.
Before we begin our tree trimming and reliability work, we reach out to property owners to let them know what to expect. Be sure your contact information is up-to-date at AEPOhio.com/Account.
So I was reroofing my barn Thursday and I hear a high speed helicopter. When I looked it had an apparatus on a cable and then set down behind the ridge on my farm. Mentioned it to my wife and she told me about your trimming work in the area. Never heard of such a thing, so, of course, Googled it. Watched it work for 2 days. Your saw looks nothing like the row of discs I see on line. What is it you are using? I live on Norfield Rd. east of Zanesville.
Hi Chris,
I bet that was pretty interesting to see it work in person. I reached out to our forestry team to see what we could find out. They said we use several aerial trimming businesses, and different businesses use different kinds of saws due to the specific needs of each location they’re trimming. I’m sorry we weren’t able to provide more specifics.