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Vegetation management is key for safe, reliable
energy
Storms pummeled ECE’s distribution system in 2010, but trees and limbs caused only 15 percent of the total number of power outages members experienced. Managing vegetation along corridors where electric lines are located is a major component of your cooperative’s commitment to safety and reliability. The work helps keep outages and blinks to a minimum, reduces the potential for the public to come in contact with electric lines and enhances the safety of our line crews. Twenty project areas, totaling approximately 1,100 miles, have been scheduled for routine re-clearing work in 2011. Tree care professionals contracted by ECE will prune or remove trees in the designated areas. They follow contract specifications and established procedures to complete the re-clearing work, which is done in four-to-six-year cycles to improve efficiency. Hazard trees, those that are dead, dying, leaning or structurally defective, can be the cause of service interruptions. They often fall from outside the established power line corridor onto ECE’s lines. By identifying and removing these high risk trees, we can be more proactive in reducing long-duration outages. If you see trees marked with red paint, they have likely been identified as hazard trees and will be removed by contractors working for ECE. Tree debris is left on site for member use or disposal. Brush management through the application of approved herbicides is our most cost-effective tool for keeping power line corridors clear. Herbicide applications are approximately one-third the cost of mechanical mowing and several times less expensive than manual cutting. They promote the growth of vegetation that benefits wildlife and is more compatible with power lines. This year, nearly 1,000 miles of corridor are slated for brush management treatments beginning in late May. If your area is slated for routine re-clearing or brush management work, you will receive a letter from ECE before the work begins. Hazard trees are removed without notification, unless the tree is in a home landscape. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation we’ve received each year as we work to keep our system in optimum condition. We’re confident that our investment in vegetation management results in a safer, more reliable electric system. If you’d like more information, please contact ECE’s Forestry Services department, 1-866-293-9068. 2012 Vegetation Management ECE will begin transitioning to a circuit-based method (along powerlines) of vegetation management, rather than by townships as has occurred in the past. This should further improve the reliability and quality of your power as trees are managed along an entire electric circuit during a prescribed maintenance cycle. 2012 Vegetation Management Map Does ECE do the clearing? ECE carries out the Vegetation Management Program with the assistance and expertise of contracted tree care professionals who are certified to do tree work near electric lines. All of our contractors are required to follow overhead line clearance guidelines and specifications developed by ECE's Forestry Staff to ensure proper, professional service. Vegetation management contractors include:
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