Mitigation Progress Report
Print> Second Quarter (April – June 2026) Systemwide Update: 4 miles cleared including 516 tree removals, 283 trims, 1 hazard tree removed.
> First Quarter (Jan.-March 2026) Systemwide Update: 6.34 miles cleared including 489 tree removals, 165 trims, 3 hazard trees removed.
SDCEA is dedicated to providing electricity to our members, communities, and protecting the environment by maintaining a safe, reliable electric system.
Since 2021, we’ve implemented a system-wide plan to enhance wildfire mitigation and vegetation management, preventing vegetation from contacting power lines and reducing fire risks or service interruptions. To support these efforts, members are charged $8 monthly. We appreciate the members’ financial commitment to these efforts.
There are 759 miles of overhead, energized line on our system. Of that, approximately 260 miles do not need mitigation.
As of November 2025, close to 170 miles have been cleared of vegetation leaving an estimated 330 miles of line remaining to be cut or trimmed.
As we enter the winter months, snow and ice in higher elevations make clearing projects less efficient. To save costs, we scale back mitigation efforts, focusing resources on lower elevations with a smaller crew. Crews will ramp up again this spring.
By county, the percentage of work completed includes:
Chaffee
- 268.63 miles of overhead line is in Chaffee County.
- 64.09 miles have been cut, estimated to be 23 percent of what needs to be cut in Chaffee County overall.
Work areas included in these figures are the Buena Vista 3-phase north feeder line; work in the Nathrop area; St Elmo and the Ray Lewis south feeder to Hwy. 291.
Fremont
- 216 miles of overhead line is in Fremont County.
- 59.75 miles have been cut, estimated to be 27 percent of what needs to be cut in Fremont County overall.
Work areas included in these figures are Hwy 69 1A to Hwy 50; County Road 12 north of Cotopaxi; Texas Creek; Cherry Creek.
Custer
- 224.47 miles of overhead line is in Custer County
- 19.49 miles have been cut, estimated to be 20 percent of what needs to be cut in Custer County overall.
Work areas included in these figures are Tanglewood Acres, Verdemont Road, Kettle substation north feeder 3-phase and The Pines.
Lake
- 49.93 miles of overhead line is in Lake County
- 23.71 miles have been cut, estimated to be 47 percent of what needs to be cut in Lake County overall.
Work areas included in these figures are Beaver Lakes, Mt. Massive Lakes, Gordon Acres, Independence Pass, Twin Lakes south feeder, Mt Elbert Playmor front side.
Saguache
Not applicable, all services are underground.
