Vegetation
Management
Keeping Your Power Reliable and Safe
How SDCEA’s system-wide vegetation management program protects our communities
SDCEA is working with our members and community partners to provide safe and reliable power, reduce wildfire risk, protect our communities, and preserve the natural landscapes that make our area special. Since 2021, SDCEA has been implementing system-wide work to provide safe, reliable electricity to our community and reduce wildfire risk.
Why Vegetation Management Matters
Trees and brush are an important part of what makes our communities beautiful. But when vegetation grows too close to power lines, it can create safety risks, including outages and wildfire.
SDCEA is committed to providing safe, reliable electric service. Proactive vegetation management is essential to that mission, especially as our area experiences drought, warm temperatures, and high winds.
SDCEA’s system-wide vegetation management program began in 2021 and is designed to:
- Prevent trees and brush from contacting power lines
- Reduce outages caused by overgrown vegetation and improve the reliability of electric service
- Lower the risk of wildfire
- Maintain industry-standard clearance around poles and power lines
What to Expect
SDCEA contracts with Noble Resources Group to perform vegetation management work.
Noble Resources Group (formerly Integrity Tree Service), is a trusted partner of utilities and major contractors.
Crews will use clearly marked vehicles that include:
- Bucket trucks
- Climbing crews
- Mowing crews
- Walk-in crews
A professional arborist also consults on tree trimming and removal decisions. Work may take place within SDCEA rights-of-way and near power lines throughout the service territory. High risk trees—trees that are dead, diseased or leaning toward power lines—outside the right-of-way will be addressed.
In general, SDCEA maintains a minimum clearance of
15-20 feet on either side of its poles in rural areas. Within the Town of Buena Vista, the project will use a more targeted 8-foot radius.
Wildfire Mitigation Rate Rider
The $8 monthly Wildfire Mitigation Rate Rider funds mitigation. This rider is charged per service account and helps accelerate SDCEA’s vegetation management and other wildfire mitigation work.
- Only funds wildfire mitigation activities
- Is reviewed annually by the SDCEA Board of Directors
- The rate rider will sunset once the initial work is complete, and any future vegetation regrowth will be covered under SDCEA’s rates, rather than an additional rider.
Overgrown Vegetation Impacts Our Community
As members of the community, we deeply value our area’s beautiful trees. Our top commitment is to keep your power safe and reliable. Vegetation management is how we do that.
Overgrown vegetation is the leading cause of vegetation-related outages. Removing or trimming high-risk trees near power lines helps reduce ignition sources, improve reliability, and support emergency access.
Wildfire risk is not limited to homes located in heavily wooded areas. In dry conditions, fast-moving fires can spread through low-moisture vegetation and threaten homes, businesses, roads, trails and surrounding wilderness.
Some homeowners’ insurance providers may also ask property owners to remove vegetation from private property. Those efforts complement SDCEA’s work near power lines and within utility rights-of-way.
Questions?
Email info@myelectric.coop or call 844-395-2412 toll-free.
Vegetation Management FAQs
SDCEA is conducting vegetation management to reduce the risk of power outages and prevent wildfires. Proactive trimming and removal along rights-of-way help maintain system reliability and protect the community.
SDCEA has contracted with Noble Tree Service (formerly Integrity Tree Service) for this work.
Noble contractors will be using bucket trucks, climbing crews, mowing crews, and walk-in crews to accomplish the mitigation work plan. The company’s trucks will be clearly marked with Noble logos, but if you are uncertain, please contact our office toll-free, 844-395-2412.
In general, SDCEA maintains a minimum clearance of 15-20 feet on either side of its poles in rural areas. Within the Town of Buena Vista, the project will use a more targeted 8-foot radius.
SDCEA charges a monthly Wildfire Mitigation Rate Rider to each service account (security lighting and line retention excluded) on our system.
The rate rider is used for the specific and necessary purpose of accelerating funding of vegetation removal to mitigate the threat of wildfires on our system. Funding raised through this rider is used only for wildfire mitigation and is not absorbed in SDCEA’s general operating budget.
The wildfire mitigation rider is reviewed annually for effectiveness by the board. The monthly charge will sunset when wildfire mitigation work is complete.
Some homeowners’ insurance providers may also ask property owners to remove vegetation from private property. Those efforts complement SDCEA’s work near power lines and within utility rights-of-way.
Please click here to submit information about a tree or vegetation issue.