Vegetation Management
Our communities depend upon the safe, reliable and affordable delivery of electricity. One of the leading causes of interruptions to the safe flow of electricity is trees and other plants growing too high or coming too close to power lines. To safeguard the reliability of the distribution system, Southeastern Indiana REMC has implemented a vegetation management plan to control the growth of trees and other woody-stemmed vegetation around equipment and rights-of-way.
The goal of this plan is to balance our society's need for reliable energy with respect for the environment while complying with all applicable laws and federal requirements.
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Proper selection and placement of trees minimizes the need for utility pruning
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Trees are responsible for nearly two-thirds of our outages each year
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Southeastern Indiana REMC trims trees on our electric system on a regular 5-year cycle
Trees must coexist with a variety of human-made structures, both above and below ground. Most commonly they compete for space with overhead power lines, but trees also conflict with communication lines, street lighting, buildings, lines of sight, sidewalks, roads, and underground utilities.
The best way to maximize the many benefits provided by trees is to plant them where they will not outgrow their space. However, trees that threaten the integrity of utility or other vital infrastructure must be pruned or removed.
Stormy weather can blow tree limbs into distribution lines, causing outages, and even toppling the trunks entirely, breaking poles and creating hazards. Limbs and leaves in contact with power lines can conduct electricity, creating a potentially dangerous condition for anyone who comes near. Tree-to-line contact also contributes to what electric system professionals call "line loss." The term refers to electricity created at a generating plant that does not reach its destination, an inefficiency that increases costs for everyone.
Southeastern Indiana REMC spends considerable amounts of money every year to trim trees. The REMC specifies to our contractors that all power lines should be cleared at least 20 feet on each side of the power line and 20 feet underneath the line. Experience has shown us these are the minimum distances we can trim to keep a safe, reliable flow of electricity and be cost-effective.
Please contact our office if you have trees on your property that could endanger the power lines. Do not tackle this job yourself. Every year amateur tree trimmers are hurt or killed when trying to clear limbs near power lines. Call the professionals at the REMC.
Cincinnati Zoo and
Botanical Garden
Southeastern Indiana REMC partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo in 2011 to allow them to collect clippings twice a week during the months of June, July and August. These clippings are taken back to the zoo, washed and freeze-dried, to help feed the animals throughout the winter months.
Helicopter Tree Trimming
Highly skilled pilots use a 10-bladed saw, suspended below the helicopter, to trim limbs in right-of-way reducing the risk of injury to tree workers, as well as the time and cost associated with ground-to-sky trimming in difficult terrain and remote areas.
National Wildlife
Turkey Federation
Southeastern Indiana REMC has partnered with the National Wild Turkey Federation to plant wildflowers and grasses in our right-of-way’s when possible