FAIRVIEW  --  Allegheny Power is doing maintenance on some transmission lines from Clarksburg to Fairview this week.

The technique it is using to do the work is not new, but it certainly is unique.

Allegheny Power has tens of thousands of miles of transmission lines in the four states it works in. Many of those lines are in remote, rural areas, where it is hard to get a crew in to do work.

Allegheny Power says trees are the number one cause of power outages.

Here's the problem: West Virginia has a lot of trees and Allegheny Power has a lot of power lines running right through them.

"As trees grow and mature, the limbs come in and grow towards the light and encroach on our right of way," Allegheny Power spokesman Allen Staggers said.

The solution is an aerial saw, he said.

It is a set of sharp circular blades suspended from the bottom of a small helicopter.

It is used to trim back tree branches that get close to the transmission lines.

"It's kind of a sophisticated piece of equipment. It's certainly something most people haven't ever seen before, although we've use it for almost 20 years," said Staggers.

Allegheny Power contracts with Aerial Solutions out of North Carolina. Aerial Solutions provides the equipment, chopper and pilot.

"With technology such as GPS and mapping technologies, we're able to pin point exactly where they need us to cut and where they need us to start and end on a specific project," said Ted McAllister with Aerial Solutions.

The aerial saw is more than 10 times more efficient than a ground crew trimming trees and can reach even the most remote areas, said officials.

"The aerial saw is able to bypass the terrain and just fly straight to where the work needs to be done and do it more efficiently," said Staggers.

The aerial saw is only used in remote locations for safety reasons.

This week, the helicopter will be working in Marion and Harrison Counties after that it will head to the southern part of the state.