The Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, has recognized PPL Electric Utilities as a Tree Line USA utility for its tree-pruning program and educational efforts.

This is the third consecutive year the company has received this honor. To earn the award, companies must use nationally recognized best practices for tree pruning, train employees and contractors regularly, and support public education and local tree-planting programs. 

“Trees and power lines are essential to local communities,” said David G. DeCampli, president of PPL Electric Utilities. “We take great care to protect both. We encourage our customers to plant trees that will not grow into our lines, we prune trees to limit the number of outages caused by falling branches, and we are careful to have our contractors follow accepted pruning standards that protect tree health.”

Trees and branches downed by wind, ice and lightning are a leading cause of power outages, he said. To limit the damage caused by falling branches, PPL Electric Utilities prunes along thousands of miles of power lines each year. The company trims only branches that grow toward power lines and leaves remaining branches to grow naturally. This technique protects tree health ― fewer cuts mean less stress on trees.

PPL Electric Utilities also has supported municipal tree replacement projects to replace problem trees with varieties that are more compatible with power lines. Additionally, the company shares educational messages with customers about choosing the right tree for the right place and using landscaping to reduce energy costs. This information is available online at www.ppltrees.com.

PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electricity delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.