Aug. 16, 2010
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Cherokee Electric using latest tech to trim tree limbs By Roy Mitchell CENTRE — Though the county's quaint country back roads and communities may evoke a sentiment of old-fashioned simplicity, Cherokee Electric Cooperative is using 21st-century equipment to keep foliage away from miles and miles of power lines. Covering most all Cherokee County and areas of four other nearby counties, the Cooperative's lines, if placed end-to-end, would stretch about 2,500 miles — roughly the distance from New York City to Los Angeles. Perhaps the Cooperative's most visible tools are their two Sky-Trim saws. According to Cherokee Electric Cooperative CEO Randal Wilkie, one saw was purchased five years ago, the other only two or three years back. Able to reach 75 feet, a Sky-Trim saws tree limbs that may interfere with the county's power lines. The Sky-Trim is not just a blade. It's a large, heavy-duty yellow vehicle. Connected to the base is an elongated white arm equipped with a 24-inch-diameter blade at the end. The two vehicles venture out to the power lines with a crew of four men. The saws work in tandem, lopping off tree limbs to keep them plenty clear of the electric lines. With 2,500 miles of power lines, the process is not simple. “We spend a lot of money on the right-of-way and we have a dedicated crew. They go year-round,” Wilkie said. “We couldn't catch up with all of it if we didn't.” Wilkie estimated that even with the two big saws, it will take several years for his crew to trim near all the lines. “We try to get around to all of it in five years,” he said. “We have to cut back the tree far enough to where it won't grow back into the lines in five years. Hopefully, we can cut it to the point to where we don't have to trim hot spots.” Even though each Sky-Trim costs approximately $150,000, Wilkie says that they are definitely worth the money. He said keeping limbs away from power lines in the Cooperative's coverage area is much different without the two Sky-Trims. “We had a lot of manual stuff — chainsaws, buckets, ropes. Sometimes we had to physically climb the tree,” he said. “Without the saws, we'd just trim hot spots, jumping around as the growth dictated. We'd probably have to contract it out. I'd rather do it with our people.” The super-sized saws aren't the only machinery crews carry with them on the job. The Sky-Trim is used for the limbs above and around the power lines, but it cannot reach all the way to the ground. The cooperative maintains other equipment for foliage under seven feet such as chainsaws, a Hydro-ax (similar to a bush hog), herbicides, and other small pieces of equipment. While the Sky-Trim saws alleviate the high limbs, two other employees trim close to the right of way with the Hydro-ax, and three more operate the smaller equipment. “Both saws are operating at the same time,” Wilkie said. “Then we cut up the limbs so it doesn't look too bad.” The Sky-Trims and crews were recently trimming in the vicinity of the Key substation in eastern Cherokee County. They expect to be there several months or, as Wilkie puts it, “until we get the job done.” |