13
May/June 2024
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THE DAVEY BULLETIN
Early 2024 storms bringing high winds and rain downed this
tree in Sacramento, California. "We had about a dozen calls
over a three-week period," said Mathew Morgan, assistant
district manager, Sacramento office. "The rain and wind
knocked down a lot of trees."
DRG AND EASTERN UTILITY
RESTORE SOLAR POWER LINE
Bill Stendrup, project developer,
Environmental Consulting
services, Davey Resource Group,
called Shaun Barber, account
manager, Eastern Utility services,
with a request to help renewable
energy company Clearway
Energy, Inc. with a tree that
had fallen across some medium
voltage lines that connects to
their solar farm in Southbridge,
Massachusetts.
Shaun Barber
account manager
Eastern Utility services
A tree fell on a medium voltage line in Southbridge, Massachusetts,
which serves as an interconnection between Clearway Energy, Inc.'s
solar farm and substation.
"Upon discovering the tree on the lines, the system had
to be de-energized, meaning there's no electricity running
from the solar panels to the grid," Stendrup said.
Barber was able to get to the site immediately and
confirmed a crew could remove the tree from the line.
"The work was completed quickly. Shaun went above and
beyond to help this client out," Stendrup said.
Hernandez added that they've always prided
themselves on being there for their community.
"They're calling on us because they need us. It's
our unofficial duty to be there for the community.
We look at each other and say, 'Let's go get it done,'"
Hernandez said.
Patrick Mounce, district manager, Napa office, said,
"My crews had just returned from assisting the
Portland, Oregon office with storm cleanup. That same
weekend, the storm hit us here. The cleanup lasted
about three weeks. We had two three-person crews
respond to approximately 40 calls."
Mounce said the work consisted of responding
to more whole tree failures this year rather than
broken branches.
"My employees were already in storm mode, so
they had go-get it attitudes," Mounce said. "Thanks
to my crews for being there when the clients
needed them."