Residents of a Centennial subdivision are fuming over Xcel Energy’s decision to remove, rather than trim, trees that lie in the path of the company’s transmission lines.
Xcel spokesman Joe Fuentes said the utility is complying with federal standards that require power companies to clear vegetation from right of way where it could snarl lines and cause power failure.
The regulations were put into effect after sagging high-voltage lines in rural Ohio came in contact with overgrown trees in 2003. The result was a massive blackout. The outage left millions without power and reached as far north as Ontario.
Before the utility began complying with the new rules in 2006, Xcel would trim trees if they threatened lines, Fuentes said.
“The changes required removing certain species from the right of way, not trim, but remove,” he said.
In a letter to the mayor of Centennial and other officials, the board of the subdivision, Homestead in the Willows, calls the utility’s tree clearing “a scorched earth policy where everything under their poles along the easements is reduced to less than 10 feet.”
“Over the years, homeowners have invested in their homes and planted trees and shrubs. Our HOA planted and maintained trees along the streetscape as well. . . . Given the slow growth of trees in this climate, it was unlikely that any trees would ever interfere with the power lines. . . . A reasonable trimming of these trees would certainly resolve any potential issues for many years.”
The letter was sent by e-mail Wednesday, said Gale Haun, a homeowner whose trees are threatened.
Fuentes said that the utility has been working with the homeowners association and that residents had been informed about the tree removal.
The utility’s representatives met with home owners and most understood the need to eliminate the trees, he said.
“We had an agreement with them to do what we had to do. We are committed to meeting the needs of customers, but at the same time we have to consider the requirement for the transmission lines.”
The company is cutting and disposing of the trees and grinding stumps at no cost to owners, Fuentes said.
Katie Kidwell, the HOA’s business manager, said Xcel originally planned to cut down the trees and leave the wood and stumps for residents to dispose of.
Negotiations between lawyers from the HOA and the utility led to an agreement by Xcel to remove the wood and grind tree stumps. But the offer is good only this year, she said.
At least 35 trees along the 230- kilovolt power line’s right of way have been cut down at the subdivision, bounded by East Arapahoe and East Dry Creek roads, and South Quebec and South Holly streets, said Kidwell.
Residents opposed to the tree clearing will meet Monday at 7 p.m. at Homestead Elementary School.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
