By Amanda Mills
Providing reliable power to you is and will always be a top priority for Dixie Electric. With summer storm season upon us, it is a great time to share a few measures we take to ensure you continue receiving the reliable power you depend on and deserve.
I love trees and the charm they add to our communities, and I know you do too. While trees provide shade and add beauty to our area, you may be surprised to learn that overgrown vegetation accounts for about half of all power outages nationwide. That's why we strive to keep the co-op's power lines clear in right-of-way (ROW) areas.
A ROW area is the land a co-op uses to construct, maintain, replace, or repair underground and overhead power lines. This ROW enables Dixie Electric to provide clearance from trees and other obstructions that could hinder the distribution of power lines. The overall goal of our vegetation management strategy is to provide reliable power to our members while maintaining the beauty of our area.
As you know, Dixie Electric is a not-for-profit cooperative striving to keep costs in check to keep our rates affordable. This extends to our approach to vegetation management. If trees grow too close to power lines, the potential for expensive repairs also increases. Effective tree trimming and other vegetation management efforts are preventative maintenance, keeping costs down for everyone.
As a nation, right-of-way professionals are honored during the third week in June. Dixie Electric is proud to work with contract right-of-way professionals who help us serve you, our members, better. During storms, our right-of-way crews are typically our first line of defense, clearing debris so our linemen can begin the power restoration process.
Our community is a special place. We appreciate the beauty trees afford, but we also know our community depends on us to provide reliable energy. Through vegetation management, we can better keep the power lines clear, prepare for future weather events, and secure the grid's reliability.