Improving reliability
Piedmont Electric’s proactive three-year right-of-way clearing schedule is key to keeping our grid reliable and safe. By trimming trees and clearing brush away from power lines and transformers, we help prevent outages, reduce fire risks, and keep our crews safe during repairs. Regular maintenance also minimizes emergency trimming, which is better for the environment and helps ensure our crews can quickly access equipment when needed. Keeping lines clear also protects you by reducing the chance of trees causing problems during storms.
Before tree clearing
This improperly cleared right-of-way makes it difficult for Piedmont Electric vehicles, employees, and contractors to access the power lines for maintenance and outage restoration.
After tree clearing
A properly cleared right-of-way gives Piedmont Electric vehicles, employees, and contractors ample space to access electric lines more quickly and safely.
If you have any questions about our vegetation management program, please contact us at 800.222.3107 or email info@pemc.coop.
Frequently Asked Questions
A right-of-way is the area around Piedmont Electric’s power lines that the cooperative maintains to ensure reliable service and allow for repairs. For transmission lines, this area extends 50 feet on each side, and for distribution lines, it’s 15 feet on each side, providing enough space for utility vehicles to work safely. As part of receiving electric service, members grant Piedmont Electric easement rights to clear, maintain, and repair these areas as needed to keep the system running smoothly.
Trimming vegetation around the right-of-way is crucial to reducing the risk of power outages caused by fallen trees, especially during severe weather. Regular maintenance keeps tree limbs from interfering with power lines, while also ensuring easy access for repairs when outages occur. We carefully trim only what’s needed to maintain a safe and reliable electric system while respecting the importance of trees in our communities.
- If we have your email address on file, you will receive an email notifying you of right-of-way maintenance work scheduled in your area.
- Tree crews will knock on your door to speak with you or leave a door hanger letting you know when crews are coming to complete pruning.
- If the right-of-way area is not landscaped, tree crews will use a Jaraffe, heavy equipment with a large saw, and mower to prune.
- If the right-of-way area is a yard or landscaped area, tree crews will use bucket trucks and a chipper to prune trees and clean up debris.
- Right-of-way work is often conducted by two or three sets of crews over a few days. One crew will cut the branches, a second crew will follow up to pick up and mulch and, if necessary, a third crew will hand cut brush around poles, wires and creeks. If could be several days in between each crew. When our crews are done, your area should be clean and clear of debris.
We operate on a three-year right-of-way cycle, meaning that we’ll be in your area once every three years to trim tree limbs near our power lines.
Yes! If we have your email address on file, you’ll receive an email notifying you of work scheduled in your area. Tree crews will also knock on your door to speak with you or leave a door hanger letting you know when crews are coming to complete pruning.
Right-of-way work is often conducted by two or three sets of crews over a few days. One crew will cut the branches, a second crew will follow up to pick up and mulch and, if necessary, a third crew will hand cut brush around poles, wires and creeks. If could be several days in between each crew. When our crews are done, your area should be clean and clear of debris. If not, please let us know through our by calling us at 800.222.3107.
It’s simply too expensive. The initial cost of running lines underground throughout rural areas is prohibitively high. While they may be more reliable during a storm, they can take twice as long to fix when something does happen to them.
Piedmont Electric works with licensed contractors to do our tree clearing. Hiring contract crews saves money which keeps rates down. These contract crews are highly skilled, properly equipped and under the supervision of specialized Piedmont Electric employees.