In an effort to reduce power outages, Consumers Energy is expanding its line clearing efforts.

The company’s Trisha Bloembergen says crews are working across more than 9,000 miles of power lines this year to secure the power grid.

“Every year we start new and we attack different regions throughout the state, and we’re working towards an effort where we’re able to see every single power line and make sure that the trees and limbs aren’t going to impact it at least every five years,” Bloembergen said.

Bloembergen says they do work with communities to avoid planting trees known to create future reliability or ecological concerns.

Consumers Energy is one of the largest electric utilities in Van Buren County.