CoServ helps prevent outages, one tree limb at a time
Strong winds, ice storms and other weather can wreak havoc on trees and if the branches touch the power lines, or worse, fall on them, that could cause an outage.
It could be the middle of the night in the pouring rain or in the freezing cold when roads are covered in snow and ice. Either way, CoServ linemen will respond to restore power as safely and quickly as possible for our Members.
But it’s always better to prevent the outage from happening, when possible.
That’s why CoServ dedicates so much time and resources to vegetation management – to reduce the chances that a gust of wind or heavy ice accumulation could cause a tree limb to come into contact with a power line.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said trees contacting power lines is the leading cause of power outages and a common cause of regional blackouts.
CoServ has more than 2,800 miles of overhead lines and while not all of those have trees growing around them, the lines that do need to be maintained. The crews are all contractors who work under the direction of CoServ’s Vegetation Management coordinators.
“Tree trimming is a vital part of CoServ’s mission to deliver excellent service to our Members,” said Morgan Herd, CoServ’s Vegetation Management Coordinator.
“By proactively clearing the space around our power lines, we’re able to help prevent everything from blinks to power outages – all of which inconvenience our Members.”
On any given day, CoServ has 14 crews working to keep power lines and equipment clear of trees and plants. CoServ typically trims each feeder line every four years, though they will target an area sooner if the vegetation growth has become problematic.
It’s another example of how CoServ goes the extra mile to increase the reliability of our system, which is consistently ranked the most reliable in Texas by the Public Utility Commission.