Penelec has delivered some bad news to customers with damage from a December power surge in the Foster Township area — they aren’t paying for it.

On Thursday, spokesman Todd Meyers provided part of the wording for letters sent to customers who had submitted a claim. The letters explained that Penelec’s investigation showed “high winds broke a dead tree located outside the right-of-way maintenance areas for the primary line which services (the customer’s) home. When the tree fell onto the lines, it caused a higher voltage line to come in contact with a lower voltage line causing the incident. Penelec is permitted to trim and maintain trees within the right-of-way. However, the tree was located outside of the right-of-way.”

Meyers said the utility company had received about 50 claims to date from customers who said they sustained damage during the incident.

“We have sent all of them letters denying those claims because the off-right-of-way tree that fell and caused the damage was beyond the boundaries of where we are legally permitted to trim or remove trees,” Meyers said. “While we are sorry for the inconvenience experienced by customers in this incident, this was a circumstance beyond Penelec’s control.

“In the letter, we recommend that customers consider filing a claim with their insurance company. Insurance companies often want the denial letters as part of the record to process claims,” he added.

“Our company is committed to providing our customers with safe, continuous, and reliable

electric service within reasonable limits,” read the wording from an excerpt of a letter to a customer. “However, Penelec … does not accept responsibility for damage or losses

caused by or resulting from storms or severe weather related operating problems, or non-

preventable / sudden and unforeseen occurrences that are out of the company’s control.”

One of the residents of the Derrick Road and South Kendall Avenue areas that were particularly hard hit posted on social media Thursday, encouraging residents to take their claims to state Rep. Marty Causer, R-Turtlepoint, to turn over to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

Meyers had explained previously that Penelec is in the planning and design stage for a major project to replace worn poles and cross arms and other equipment along that power line. “Forestry crews will also check the right-of-way to see if there are any danger trees located off the right-of-way that we might be able to address or other conditions to mitigate.”