On Arbor Day, UI Donates Trees to Woodbridge and East Haven to Promote Sustainability Across Service Area

Company launches 2024 campaign to donate $17,000 to provide tress to all 17 towns to reinforce “Right Tree, Right Place” while combatting climate change


ORANGE, Conn. — April 26, 2024 — In celebration of Arbor Day, United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid (NYSE: AGR), donated $1,000 each to Woodbridge and East Haven to support the purchasing and planting of trees in their communities. The donations kicked off a year-long campaign in which UI will work alongside municipal leaders in its 17 towns and cities to provide $1,000 per town to fund the tree-planting initiative. During the campaign, UI officials will reinforce the company’s public safety initiative to plant the right tree in the right place to improve electric reliability and prevent tree-related outages while promoting sustainability and combatting climate change.

“At UI, we’re incredibly grateful for this collaboration with our local towns to foster a program that aligns with our sustainability goals and provides numerous environmental benefits to the communities we serve,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of UI. “But we also know that trees are one of the leading causes of power outages, which is why it's our responsibility as a utility to ensure the trees will not disrupt the delivery of safe, reliable electricity to our customers. I look forward to working alongside our municipalities to begin planting the remaining trees in the 15 towns, which will help keep our communities environmentally healthy while also ensuring the protection of our electric grid.”

In East Haven and Woodbridge, the first donated trees were planted under the guidance and supervision of UI’s arborist Eric McConnell, each town’s tree warden, and contractors with Van Wilgen’s Garden Center. The team surveyed the area to determine any threats to the electrical system in the tree’s designated locations before partnering with the town to plant the trees. UI will continue this initiative in its service area throughout the spring and summer.

“We gathered on our historic Town Green to plant two trees that were graciously donated by UI as part of its tree-planting initiative,” said East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora. “Through this generous donation for our green, we are not just planting young trees, but also cultivating a legacy of sustainability and community pride.”

“I’d like to thank United Illuminating for helping us commemorate Arbor Day on April 26th by donating and planting two beautiful trees at our Fitzgerald Property,” said Woodbridge First Selectman Mica Cardozo. “The Dogwood and Flowering Crab Apple trees are wonderful additions along the Center Road walking path on the property.”

In addition to community support for all the towns and cities UI serves, the company is also utilizing the campaign to educate town officials on its “right tree, right place” initiative, which is part of its vegetation management plan to protect power lines and other electric infrastructure. To mitigate the risk of trees and other plants interfering with electrical equipment, UI’s vegetation management professionals and contractors manage the vegetation to create a safe distance between trees and the overhead lines that bring electricity to customers’ homes and businesses. Known as the “Utility Protection Zone (UPZ),” the distance extends horizontally 8 feet from the outermost electric conductor or wire to the vegetation, from the ground to the sky. The UPZ is designed to minimize the potential for outages during storms and blue-sky days.

“We’re excited to begin sharing with the public the importance of planting the right tree in the right place to help conserve energy, improve reliability, and beautify our communities,” said Kyle Kleza, Manager of Vegetation Management at UI. “Our team works year-round to maintain trees and other vegetation along our utility lines to ensure reliable service to our customers. If you believe you have a tree on or near your property that may be causing outages or comprising the electrical grid, we encourage you to contact us to assess the area. We are always here to help.” 

If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call us at 866.829.4461, or email us at trees@uinet.com, using Tree Trimming in your subject line. For more information on UI’s Utility Protection Zone, or to report a tree that needs to be trimmed or cut back from a powerline, visit the links below: 

https://www.uinet.com/treecare 

https://www.uinet.com/report-a-tree-needing-trimming 

https://www.uinet.com/reporttreebranchonpowerline 

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