Agreement of shared outcomes is critical for budgeting, contractor suitability, stability, and customer service. Memorandum of understanding on vegetation management for. To position uaa as the best source of technical expertise related to utility vegetation management outcome 3. Utility vegetation management association home uvma. Proper vegetation management in areas at risk from wildfires has proven to be a major factor in reducing the chances of homes burning, especially when combined with exterior construction features designed or maintained to further protect a home from the approaching flames and embers. Even on a fair day, a broken limb or downed tree can cause an outage. Our industry often discusses best management practices, new technologies and tools available to improve our vegetation management programs, but we rarely are able to get together in the same room to discuss solutions. We have been reducing network vegetation risk by keeping power, gas and water lines across the country free of vegetation since 1989. Clearion vegetation management solution clearion software. In 2018, firstenergy was recognized for the 20th consecutive year as a tree line usa utility by the national arbor day foundation in cooperation.
Metrics 2 what is the set of appropriate metrics to understand the drivers and risks of. Please fill out the form below, let us know what you are interested in and a lucas tree expert will get back to you. That said, there are other solutions on the market that make it easier and less expensive to adopt an effective vegetation management strategy built on the latest technology. Weed control or weed management, is a component or tactic of vegetation management, and the term integrated weed management implies utilizing all methods of weed control in such a manner as to achieve. Firstenergy has a yearround vegetation management program aimed at keeping nearly 280,000 miles of lines in our sixstate, 65,000squaremile service territory clear of trees and undergrowth. A complete solution for reliability and compliance. And, we are proud to service all areas of energy exploration, generation, and transmission. As the utility vegetation management industry grows, so does its exposure to risk both internally and. A history and assessment of current conditions and initiatives vegetation management principles. Utility vegetation management final report utility vegetation management final report march 2004 cn utility consulting, llc 1 i. Best practices for utility vegetation management march 2021, 2017 dallas, tx page 3. This online training is designed for utility vegetation management stakeholders who desire to learn about the full scope of the uvm business.
Vegetation management on power lines which is the responsibility of utility providers. Goals the principal goal of vegetation management is to ensure the protection, operation, stability, continuance and safety of the common transport involved. Best management practices for vegetation management at. We are committed to partnering with these and other utilities to develop and implement a comprehensive utility vegetation management strategy. The strategy must balance the duality of providing for recreation in natural areas with protecting the vegetation resource. Integrated vegetation management is the phrase th at has been used by the electric utility industry and other allied rightsofway industries and institutions such as roadside, railroad and pipeline to describe the processes and procedures to manage rightofway. Federal standards mandate that utilities have a vegetation management program to prevent widespread outages on the transmission system. Utility companies must manage vegetation in powerline rows on federal lands to prevent power outages, wildfires, and the spread of invasive species and to protect human health, property, and natural and cultural resources. New zealands largest power and utility companies choose asplundh as their approved contractor for line clearance and vegetation control. A leading field service platform servicemax for utility mobile workforce. Site map tree maintenance utility vegetation control. Dbi services is a global leader in vegetation management solutions and the largest vegetation management contractor in north america. Life cycle management of utility transformer assets by william h.
This program has line clearance tree crews clearing and pruning trees year round. During the planning phase, it is important to consider how vegetation will be maintained after the road project is completed. One successful approach to vegetation management incorporates four key components that occur simultaneously. Utility arborist association meeting november 15, 2016 pcf indianapolis, in. While the current urban inspection process is heavily reliant on manual. Clearion vm is designed to manage integrated vegetation management ivm programs. For most north american electric utilities, vegetation management vm is a critical part of system maintenance. The countys vegetation managementdefensible space ordinance is one protective strategy. Substations, switchyards, and other facilities require perpetual. One of the goals i have for vegetation management insights is to bridge the gap between the broader utility market, utility executives, in particular, and the vm group. Utility vegetation management new zealands largest power and utility companies choose asplundh as their approved contractor for line clearance and vegetation control. The purpose of this vegetation management plan vmp is to outline the national grid usa electric companies hereafter referred to as national grid1 five year plan for managing vegetation in compliance with 333 cmr 11. We know that the maintenance of your land and vegetation is a big task, which is why we partner with you on a comprehensive vegetation management approach that supports your goals.
These guidelines apply to vegetation management of the lcub distribution system including voltages from 600 to 14,400 volts. The vegetation management strategy will ensure that a high standard of. Our vegetation management clients include a diversified customer base such as government agencies, railroads, utilities, retail stores, industrial plants, oil and gas companies and homeowners associations. Manual of uniform traffic control devices mutcd, part 3 works on roads.
Our constant focus on innovation and environmental stewardship helps our customers achieve their short and longterm goals. The effects of road surface and roadside vegetation management can have unexpected and often, unwanted effects on the longterm outcome of the revegetation project. By studying fire prevention measures in other communities, working with local stakeholders and holding public meetings, the county developed a vegetation managementdefensible space ordinance similar to cal fires defensible space laws. Each plan must conform to requirements of state or local authorities and any applicable rightofway or easement agreement with the property owner. Life cycle management of utility transformer assets. Each utility develops and implements its own tree trimming or vegetation management plan. Vegetation management for utility, fed agency, indian. Jan 27, 2017 that said, there are other solutions on the market that make it easier and less expensive to adopt an effective vegetation management strategy built on the latest technology. With the clearion vegetation management vm solution, you can create detailed work plans, issue paper or electronic work orders, track postwork inspections, and rework, calculate estimated and actual costs, and manage schedules and budgets clearion automates the planning, tracking and reporting of. Clay electric has several vegetation management programs designed to minimize contact between trees and power lines as much as possible. Many items impact the reliability of a utility system and vegetation is typically one of the largest. Utilities regulatory authority pura a new ui distribution line clearance specification. Meas communications strategy is to use the following methods.
Energy queenslands prime vegetation management objective is to. In order to help ensure the highest degree of electric system reliability for the benefit of new york states residents, electric utilities are required to file with the public service commission longrange vegetation management plans to effectively manage transmission facility rightofway corridors they rent or own in order to minimize power outages due. Its a unique digital utility worker strategy that only ge can deliver. Environmental stewardship strategy for electric utility rights ofway, pesticide environmental stewardship program, edison electric institute. Vegetation management two emerging issues impact utility rightsofway the north american electric reliability corporation nerc and the u. Vegetation management outage investigations vegetation management system tree inventory vm inspections, projects and points. What is this integrated vegetation management, this ivm now. The vegetation management strategy will ensure that a high standard of management is achieved aesthetically, environmentally and safely. As a biology instructor and research assistant at penn state university and state game lands 33 researcher, brad ross understands the benefits of optimum management. To inform regulators and legislators of the industrys concern about the unintended consequences of fac 0031 and 2. Positioned to address utility use cases storm response and outage restoration switching work execution damage assessment asbuilt map updates asset inspection and maintenance solar installation and service batteryenergy storage meter services energy services predictive maintenance vegetation management dronebased inspection. Best management practices for vegetation management at electric utility facilities oct. As the utility vegetation management industry grows, so does its exposure to risk both internally and externally. Utility vegetation management tree arborist auckland.
Utility and transportation industries can use ivm to manage vegetation on row, to ensure the safe, reliable. This management plan provides background and strategic direction as follows. Government vegetation management you want to keep people safe and maintain vegetation with the least risk and conflict possible. Designing a utility vegetation management gis application for mobile, 2015 esri user conferencepresentation, 2015 esri user conference, created date 792015 11. By implementing a successful vegetation management program, utilities can help ensure reliability and mitigate risk. Vegetation management for utility, fed agency, indian tribal gov. Considering one of the goals i have for vegetation management insights is to bridge the gap between the broader utility market, utility executives in particular and the vm group, its important that we establish a common language to ensure effective communication to that end, im going to introduce and discuss the terms vegetation management, line clearance, pruning, tree removal, hazard. Typically uvm utility, contractor and consultant employees would desire this advanced training. Utilities strive to maintain normal conditions and ensure the system can withstand normal weather events. However, regardless of the approach a utility uses to manage vegetation, any. A common vision or strategy with longterm objectives remains an important first step in ensuring an alliance between utility management, vegetation management program teams, and the public at large. Mngt 4xx utility vegetation management association.
The right way to vegetation management beyond pesticides. Provide a cost effective framework for making structured, consistent and environmentally sound management decisions for vegetation that is. They are not intended as personal safety guidelines. Apply to management analyst, utility worker, manager and more. The purpose of this organization and website is to create a forum for individuals in the utility vegetation management industry to communicate, learn and share current events and best practices. It is a two year 6 10 week course program 240 hours. Training manual for rightofway vegetation management. Good vegetation management may prevent larger and more extensive. What is this integrated vegetation management, this ivm.
Ergon energy is proud to be an industry leader in utility vegetation management, often being on. Executive summary tree and power line conflicts it is generally accepted that the single largest cause of electric power outages occurs when trees, or portions of trees, grow or fall into overhead power lines1. This public website will be the primary communication tool for our new utility vegetation management association uvma. Todays consumer is becoming more litigious and utilities are faced with an increased risk of claims stemming from contract personnel and vegetation management events. Create, share, plan, schedule, track, audit, and report. Lucas tree experts is the dependable choice for utility services. Some technology companies package vegetation management solutions with associated outage management systems, cutting out the need for costly customizations. Agreement of shared outcomes is critical for budgeting, contractor suitability, stability, and.
Vegetation management strategy central coast council. Fish and wildlife service have each made recent announcements that may impact how electric utilities manage vegetation on their rightsofway. Vegetation management plan garden club of new haven. Integrated vegetation management, as an effective strategy to maintain. The strategy proposes 15 measures to deal with fire and vegetation issues including the. Five year vegetation management plan 20142018 national grid. Hartford, ct introduction the deregulation of wholesale electricity supply has led to a number of changes and new challenges for the electric utility industry and the market participants. The depth of resources and consistent approach to our services makes. Our industry leading system is used throughout north america and beyond to improve the effectiveness of transmission and distribution of line clearing programs, while meeting the compliance, performance, and reporting requirements of nerc fac003 and other. Cost of deferred maintenance, vegetation management manual, national rural. Our vegetation management program and routine tree pruning. Vegetation management on utility rightsofway can help develop and maintain early successional habitats in which a variety of compatible plant and wildlife species can thrive. Memorandum of understanding on vegetation management. Land managers and public officials can use ivm to address vegetation management issues in military installations, wildlife refuges, parks, forests, and communities.