Duke Energy plans to resume sending crews in Greensboro to trim trees away from power lines. The project has sparked anger and outrage from many residents. The company is planning a community workshop help ease their concerns.
The tree canopy in Greensboro has been slowly diminishing in some areas of the city in recent years due to construction and other projects. Last month, Duke Energy delayed plans to continue trimming trees in some neighborhoods after residents complained to city leaders about the process. The project includes areas near Lindley Park, Wendover Avenue and Battleground Avenue.
A “Greensboro Respects Our Trees” Facebook page and yard signs are sure signs that many residents are fighting for their trees. But Davis Montgomery, District Manager for Duke Energy Carolinas, says the project is necessary to maintain transmission lines.
“That line serves about 37,000 customers and some of those customers include Colonial Pipeline which provides aviation fuel to the airport and there is also the main delivery for the city of High Point. Because that line is so important and because we have regulatory maintenance guidelines that we have to meet, there will be the trimming and removal of trees along that line,” says Montgomery.
Duke Energy says it will resume pruning trees on February 18. The company met with city leaders last week to try to resolve cleanup and other issues. Duke is holding a community workshop Thursday to share their vegetation management plan with residents.
“We are trying to find that balance between our obligation to provide safe and reliable electricity and the aesthetic concerns of the community for the trees. This is an opportunity for the community to come out and we will set up five or six stations so more people can come in and ask questions about it the transmission line and the work we are about to do,” says Montgomery.
The workshop will take place today from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lindley Recreation Center on Springwood Drive in Greensboro.
Meanwhile, Montgomery says Duke Energy will place door hangers to notify residents affected by the project. The work inside the city is expected to last two to four weeks.