[BC] Electrical Code

[Xen Scott]

At 06:16 PM 10/28/05 -0400, Jerry Mathis wrote:
>If the power company would cut the trees that, if they fell, could take 
>down the power lines, they wouldn't have this problem.
>
>I've only seen ONE utility company that actually does this. Tennessee 
>Valley Electric Cooperative, which covers Hardin and Wayne counties in 
>Tennessee, cuts trees and brush not just under the power lines, but 30' or 
>so either side.

Here in rural Central Virginia, the local electric cooperative hires a 
helicopter with a huge
multi-blade rotary saw to fly along power lines and cut down anything 
within 30 feet of
the 1900 volt lines supplying power to residential customers.  They can 
cover quite a
lot of territory in a short time and easily work in rough terrain like 
hillsides.

The helicopter I saw last Spring was a Hughes 500, based in North 
Carolina.  The crew consisted
of a pilot and a ground support guy who drove the fuel truck.  I have 
pictures if anyone
wants to see them.

Xen Scott