Keeping transmission lines clear of overgrowth along 150-200-mile-long stretches each year is not an easy task. That’s why Hoosier Energy uses an aerial saw to get the job done.

The saw features nine 25-inch carbide tip saw blades attached to multiple 20-foot aluminum poles. A 50-horsepower snowmobile motor that can be turned on and off remotely powers the saw. All of this is attached to the bottom of a helicopter.

Hoosier Energy has been aerial saw trimming since 2018, initially on a trial basis. Since then, the aerial saw has been used annually, most recently in August. Because previously trimmed areas need to be regularly maintained, the aerial crews have begun revisiting stretches of line they worked on four years ago.

Providing affordable and reliable power to its members — and their member-owners — is important to Hoosier Energy. The aerial saw is one of the most cost-efficient and time saving ways to achieve that goal.