vegetation management

“Washington Electric called me last week and told me they would be here, and here they are,” she says. “I think it’s kind of exciting. They came through and cut the trees without cutting the wire. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

About 50% of all power outages are caused by vegetation. That figure varies widely depending on the landscape through which power lines run, and it reaches two-thirds for some Ohio co-ops. Many outages occur during storms when limbs or entire trees fall across electric lines, but others arise less dramatically when branches grow into lines. 

Trees do a lot of good for our communities. They clean the air, absorb carbon dioxide, and — when planted in the right places — help shield homes from harsh winds and summer sun. That natural protection can even reduce the energy needed to heat and cool our homes. But when trees grow too close to power lines, those benefits can quickly turn into serious safety risks.

Tree and vegetation management is an important part of Butler Rural Electric Cooperative’s annual work plan. This task is vital for delivering safe, reliable power to members.

What is a right-of-way?

“System reliability and safety are extremely important,” says Scott Roach, director of engineering services at LCEC. “With every new project, every work plan, it’s always with that in mind.”

Foliage foibles

One of the most significant factors affecting that reliability is the presence of trees. Of course, properly placed trees not only are beautiful to look at, but they also provide tangible benefits: increasing property values, reducing the cost to heat and cool a home, providing privacy, and even cutting stormwater runoff.