Reliability
Rhode Island EnergyHow we are preventing outages
Tree-related damage is one of the most common causes of power outages, especially during storms. Proactive vegetation management helps prevent branches and trees from contacting power lines before problems occur.
Rhode Island Energy’s approach to year-round management
By managing vegetation year-round — not just after storms — outages can be reduced, and repairs can happen more quickly when service interruptions do occur. This behind-the-scenes work plays a big role in keeping power reliable for everyone.
Residential vegetation management
We prune trees away from power lines on a planned cycle to reduce outages caused by downed trees or limbs. This lessens the threat of outages as well as providing easier access to our lines, which means quicker restoration of power in times of trouble.
Transmission vegetation management
We move electricity from generating sites to substations by a process called transmission. In order to bring the clean, safe, reliable, affordable energy that Rhode Islander’s expect and deserve, we maintain vegetation on Hundreds of miles of transmission easements across the state.
Maintenance
Clear access to our rights-of-way is a key factor in restoring power quickly during an outage. We do this by keeping weeds and brush below a height that would hamper visibility or access. This can involve mowing or selectively applying commonly-used EPA-approved herbicides to non-desirable species.
Cyclical pruning
We use industry standard methods to prune trees. By pruning lateral branches and using directional trimming to remove limbs at strong branches or the trunk, we protect the tree’s natural defense mechanisms that protect it from decay. This method removes branches at their natural shedding points, which reduces re-growth.
Planting within an easement
Generally, shrubs, gardens, grasses, and trees with a mature height of less than 15 feet are permitted on the easement area, as long as they don’t restrict access to the area and do not threaten the continued safe operation of the transmission line.
Mowing and tree removal
We typically mow once every 4-5 years to clear vegetation and redefine the easement. Property owners may mow more often if they desire. Once a year, all transmission lines are patrolled by air and ground to locate trees and other vegetation that pose a threat to transmission facilities.