Vegetation management is a key component to providing safe and reliable power to NES customers. Vegetation management, which includes tree trimming, ensures trees do not interfere with electrical equipment to help prevent outages and safety hazards. NES trims trees on a four-year trimming cycle and employs certified arborists who follow specific pruning methods when trimming around power lines. Our arborists trim trees through more than 5,700 miles of power lines, which is roughly equal to the distance between Nashville and Athens, Greece. Since the NES vegetation management program began, the number of tree-related outages has declined significantly.
When vegetation growth goes unchecked, there is an increased risk to safety, electrical reliability and the duration of restoration efforts. Tree branches tangled in power lines pose a serious threat to our community. When severe weather hits Middle Tennessee, high winds, snow and ice can take trees or branches down. When vegetation is near or entangled in NES electrical equipment, those power lines often snap and fall to the ground. Human electrocution can even happen when someone unknowingly comes across a downed live power line.
A strong vegetation management program is an integral part of reducing the effects of serious safety hazards, severe weather events and the duration of restoration efforts in their aftermath. However, severe weather events are not the only reason for a vegetation management program. A structured vegetation management program happens year-round on a cyclical rotation to consistently maintain the integrity of the system and ensure electrical reliability for our customers.
NES customers are encouraged to call the utility’s Tree Trimming Hotline at 615-695-7400 for all vegetation-related inquiries. For more information on NES’ vegetation management program, click here.
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