How RG&E, UR will target ash borer-infested trees to keep your lights on

The emerald ash borer is wreaking havoc across New York's forests and wooded areas, and these tiny bugs could be the reason your power goes out at your home.

That's why New York State Electric & Gas, Rochester Gas & Electric and the University of Rochester are teaming up to track down trees hit by the pest. Ash trees, once infested, typically die within two to four years, and falling trees — specifically those that bring down power lines — are the leading cause of power interruptions in New York.

Researchers at the university’s Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (GIDS-AI) and the companies are using ash tree location data, historical outage data and infrastructure data to identify high risk areas for power disruptions from emerald ash borer-infected trees.

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