Why does Empire need to manage vegetation?
A. Empire manages the vegetation on and near its rights-of-way (ROW) to keep the system reliable. Trees and other tall growing vegetation that grow close to high-voltage transmission lines can be a hazard. Trees don’t have to touch a high-voltage transmission line to be dangerous. In certain circumstances, electricity can “arc” from wires through the air to trees or equipment, resulting in fires, injuries, or even fatalities to anyone near the tree or equipment. Touching any part of the electrical path can cause serious injury or death. Tree-related power outages are more than just an inconvenience, they can disrupt service to homes, businesses, hospitals, and important community services. In order to prevent these power disruptions, trees close to power lines are removed or trimmed. For all of these reasons Empire maintains an active vegetation management program.
