Fallen trees cause area-wide power outage
Photo by: Brian Wallace Alaska Electric Light & Power worker Justin Chaput walks next to a tree that an AEL&P crew cut and removed from transmission lines on Channel Vista Drive Thursday. Snow laden trees falling on lines on Channel Vista Drive and Gastineau Av. were responsible for the power outages Thursday.
JUNEAU – Trees fell on three different areas of power lines this morning, causing an area-wide power outage.
One tree fell on a line near the airport, one fell downtown and one fell in the Salmon Creek area, according to Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. spokeswoman Gayle Wood.
As of 10 a.m., power had been restored to the Mendenhall Valley, Wood, said, while crews were trying to remove the large tree that fell on transmission lines near the Salmon Creek area.
Wood said she expected power to be restored to all areas by 10:45 a.m., but power appeared restored in areas near downtown by 10:30 a.m.
AEL&P is Juneau’s privately owned electric utility company that has 15,500 customers.
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December 4th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Why doesn’t the utilities cut Danger Trees? This stuff wouldn’t or couldn’t happen in the future. Clear and Cut right of way trees. A little prevention saves a lot of money for linecrews to go out to clear the lines.
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December 4th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Hug’m and cut’m
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December 4th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
yeppers Big D…cut them down. The danger trees.
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December 4th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I would rather take your money and do nothing then charge you more.
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December 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Too bad it wasn’t an avvy taking out the Snett power lines. The conspiracy theorists would be having a field day.
As far a clearing the ROW – Last time DOT took their backhoe mounted brush wacker out North Douglas, the alder huggers went ape crazy.
I think AEL&P does trim trees in the power line corridor about every year. Always need to do a benefit cost analysis. When AEL&P does it, I don’t think they consider the user costs (consumers) associated with power outages – only their costs.
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December 4th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Lordy, what a bunch of whiners. How about a ” thanks for getting it fixed inside an hour!” AEL&P! Great job crews!
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December 4th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Those trees are all on private property folks. If the Power Co. cut them, which of you would be the first to complaint about that too?
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December 4th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
[...] Juneau Empire website reported the following about the power outage. Trees fell on three different areas of power lines [...]
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December 4th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I think we need to wage a war on danger trees, bring them to justice by blowing them up! We do not know when or where these danger trees will strike next, we must preemptively strike these danger trees before they hit us.
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December 4th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I just knew you whiners would be all, “Why didn’t AEL&P know that THAT tree was going to fall?!?!”
Seriously, do you think you want to pay for the manpower it would take for the AEL&P crews to go out an manually inspect ALL the trees near their power lines? They’d need to raise the rates permanently to do it…do you understand that?
And suggesting that every tree within 20-30 feet of the powerlines is cut, regardless of whose property those trees are on…you know damn well you’d whine and stink about that if it were done, so…try to pull out whatever it is that’s stuck up your arses and enjoy the frackin holiday!
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December 4th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Do not be held hostage to uncontrolled vegetation.
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December 6th, 2008 at 12:25 am
I have heard that there are several trees south of town who are harboring illegal weapons of mass destruction. Other reports site that e-mails from Sarah Palin’s Yahoo account were sent directly to many of these “Danger Trees”…
We need to act preemptively to put a stop to this threat! You are either with us or against us!!!
Raaawrgh!
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December 6th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Hot Rod, all the trees belong to the Power Company because they bought the easements.
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