Ameren tree-trimming program helps prevent outages

Ameren Missouri is currently in a tree-trimming maintenance cycle in Jefferson City.

The program started late last year and is continuing through this year.

One area where crews recently worked is near Trinity Lutheran Church and School along Swifts Highway.

Ameren officials said the trimming was performed at the request of the school, to remove trees near power lines the company owned.

Company officials said the tree-trimming program takes place throughout the year all across their service territory to keep trees and branches clear of lines and help prevent outages and ensure reliability.

Ameren started a more extensive tree-trimming program after high winds and winter storms with heavy ice downed thousands of tree limbs on power lines around Missouri in 2006 and early 2007.

A 2008 Missouri Public Service Commission rule requires utility companies to notify communities and customers before they begin tree trimming.

Ameren officials said due to this more aggressive tree-trimming process, coupled with efforts to put in more underground lines to avoid downed lines from storms, the company's power reliability has improved 44 percent over the last six years.