TREE SAVER: Local man, Robert Scholberg was concerned that Essential Energy were going to cut down the old oak tree on the corner of Riverside Drive to make way for the installation of new power lines. His campaign to save the tree was successful.
TREE SAVER: Local man, Robert Scholberg was concerned that Essential Energy were going to cut down the old oak tree on the corner of Riverside Drive to make way for the installation of new power lines. His campaign to save the tree was successful.
ESSENTIAL Energy has modified plans to upgrade the Narooma electricity network to preserve the English Oak near the corner of Riverside Drive and the Princes Highway.
The company’s regional general manager, South Eastern, Phillip Green said the original upgrade plan had included installing new power lines along the eastern side of Riverside Drive potentially requiring the removal of the oak.
“We’ve taken into account the concerns of the community and returned to the drawing board to develop an alternate configuration of the network,” Phillip said.
“We were fortunate in this instance that there was sufficient available public land for Essential Energy to alter the power line route and still meet our construction standards.”
The new power line will follow the existing route along Narooma Bridge, cross the Princes Highway at the intersection of Riverside Drive and continue along the western side of Riverside Drive for around 200 metres before connecting with the existing network.
It will be necessary to remove a large gum tree located at the intersection of Riverside Drive and the Princes Highway as well as three small Casuarina trees on the western side of Riverside Drive to accommodate the new power line.
Work is expected to start on this stage of the electricity network upgrade mid-March 2013.
“We thank the Narooma community for its patience while we work to improve the reliability of the local power supply,” Phillip said.