Consumers Energy to start trimming trees in Summit Township - Summit, MI

Consumers Energy to start trimming trees in Summit Township | MLive.com

Some Summit Township residents might have their outdoor view changed this summer as Consumers Energy trims or removes trees along a 34-mile stretch that follows utility lines.

Jon Hall, a Consumers Energy spokesman, told the Summit Township board last week the utility is contacting homeowners about the tree-removal process.

Hall said the trees would start being trimmed or removed within six weeks. Consumers pays for the cost of tree removal.

Trees are the No. 1 cause of power outages and more than 25 percent of interruptions are blamed on trees, according to Consumers.

One of the areas to be targeted was Ackerson Lake, where there are about 80 to 90 trees per mile, Hall said.

Removing or trimming the trees can spark complaints from motorists, Hall said. Some of the trees can look untouched from one view but look devastated from another vantage. He said it’s not uncommon for motorists who pass by the trimmed trees to lodge complaints with the township.