Crews from Entergy spent time this week trimming trees away from power lines on Oak Ridge Road in order to keep accidental power outages from happening.

The crews trimmed branches growing on the same side as the lines and also cut the tops off trees that were growing under the lines.

Entergy’s Shelia McKinnis said the company has the right to trim trees growing within 50 feet of primary power lines.

According to Entergy’s guide on tree trimming, the company “routinely maintains the vegetation along our power lines (pole-to-pole) ensuring appropriate clearance on the power lines for safety, reliability and tree health.”

Entergy does not trim trees that are interfering with personal service lines or cable and telephone lines.

Jeff Covington, who lives on Oak Ridge Road and had multiple trees in his yard trimmed by Entergy, said he understands the need for the company to trim trees, but he was unhappy with them leaving the debris from the trimming behind.

“I never had any idea they were going to leave this much junk in my yard,” Covington said. “I just looked up and they were gone and I had a yard full of trash.”

McKinnis said Thursday that Entergy crews do return to clean up the debris left behind by the clearing and the responsibility does not fall on the homeowner “when we trim from the line from pole to pole.”

The trees in Covington’s yard are growing directly under the lines and had their tops cut off by Entergy during the trimming.

“It looks bad, but I don’t know what I can do,” Covington said. “You can’t grow the tree smaller and shape it like a bush so you are going to have a problem because the tree is that tall and the lines are that low.”

Entergy’s guide on tree trimming recommends, “before you start planting, look up. Locate your power lines and make sure that what you are planting and where you are planting will not interfere with your electric service now or in the years to come.”

If you have questions about tree trimming or have a limb you think is in danger of interfering with a power line you can call Entergy at 1-800-368-3749.