If consumers want more-reliable electric service, they’re goingto have to pay, according to the Connecticut Light & PowerCo.

A solution to electricity-killing storms could be more frequenttree trimming, which keeps power outages to a minimum, as with thetown-run Wallingford Electric Division. State and CL&Pofficials say more-frequent tree cutting is under consideration,but would have to be accompanied by an electric rate increase.

The record for power outages set by Tropical Storm Irene wasquickly broken by the weekend snowstorm, and CL&P officialscited many of the same reasons – trees with leaves on them are alot more likely to fall onto power lines.

About 60 percent of CL&P customers, or more than 750,000households statewide, were without power on Monday. During thatsame time about 4 percent of the 25,000 Wallingford electricutility’s customers were without power.

Wallingford officials credited robust tree trimming and upgradesto electric poles and hardware.

State Rep. Vickie Nardello, D-Cheshire, co-chairs the GeneralAssembly’s Energy and Technology Committee, which heard testimonyon power failures following Tropical Storm Irene. Nardello and thecommittee are still considering ways to prevent outages and willnow also consider October’s unusual snowfall.

Nardello said the state needs to hold CL&P to benchmarks andto compare that company’s practices with those in similar statesand with municipal electric utilities.

“I think that’s part of what has been missing,” Nardellosaid.

Katie Blint, a CL&P spokeswoman, said the company hasconsidered switching from a five-year trimming cycle to a four-yearcycle. She said CL&P does year-round trimming as needed butonly addresses areas comprehensively every five years.

More trimming would be more costly, and a rate increase wouldhave to be approved by the state.

“It’s something that we’re going to have to look at on astatewide level,” Blint said. “That’s something that needs to beapproved by state regulators and added into rates.”

Nardello said she’d be in favor of a rate increase if it meantfewer outages and less disruption to residents.

“As long as we know the cost is reasonable,” she said. “I thinkthe most people would accept that.”

Wallingford trims its trees on a four-year cycle, but Blintrejected comparisons with CL&P.

Blint said the company covers 148 towns and cities that havevarying amounts of foliage. CL&P also must work with localresidents and municipalities before cutting trees near powerlines.

“It’s really hard to compare,” Blint said. “It’s not a faircomparison.”

Blint said the company also can encourage residents to plantdifferent types of trees near power lines to reduce the danger.

Todd Fitzsimmons, owner of Network Imaging on Spring Street inSouthington, said both his business and his home in Burlington wereout of power. he didn’t criticize CL&P, but said there weresolutions to major outages.

“They’re doing everything in their power to get everyonerestored,” he said Monday. “They can’t control the weather.”

Fitzsimmons said CL&P wouldn’t be able to solve the treeproblem without help from state and town governments to trimgrowth. Another long-term solution, putting lines underground,might also be more cost-effective since it would eliminate theexpense of repairing fallen lines and the damage to the overalleconomy.

Tropical Storm Irene and the recent snowstorm might beeye-openers for company and government officials, according toFitzsimmons.

“It’s going to have to be rectified or it’s going to keephappening,” he said.

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