August 2012
Balancing beauty with reliable, safe electricity Blue Ridge Electric takes great pride in providing our members with the most reliable electricity possible. Tree contact with power lines is the single leading cause of outages and that’s why we have a carefully planned vegetation management program. We’re also committed to protecting the natural beauty of our landscapes and being good environmental stewards.
Blue Ridge Electric is among the top performing utilities in the country for reliable electricity, thanks, in great part, to our vegetation maintenance program.
Blue Ridge Electric helps ensure reliability by controlling large tree and brush growth for the 7,760 miles of distribution lines and 280 miles of transmission lines delivering electricity to our members. We’ve reduced the time it takes to complete clearing of our entire system from 12 years to 6, which means more trimming and less cutting to benefit the landscape. This type of program is not only better for reliability and the environment; it also controls costs, which benefits members. Furthermore, keeping trees away from power lines is a safety measure. Trees and other objects that come into contact with power lines can become energized, leading to shock or electrocution. So, keeping trees away from power lines creates a safer environment for children climbing trees or homeowners trimming trees near power lines. Even fallen power lines can still be energized, which is why no one but a Blue Ridge Electric line technician should ever go near a downed power line. A clear path for power lines also ensures a safer working environment for line technicians performing routine maintenance or working during outages. Finally, members can help ensure safe, reliable electricity by avoiding planting trees near power lines. If a tree is already in the right of way and must be removed, Blue Ridge offers a tree voucher program that allows members to redeem the voucher at an approved local nursery to select a lower-growing variety of tree. While trees contribute to the beauty of our region, we encourage members to work with the cooperative to ensure we balance beauty with reliable, safe electricity. Carolina Country AUGUST 2012 17
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