With the recent stormy weather moving through, tree branches quickly became a hazard to our roadways, waterways and the energy grid. What you may not realize is here at SDG&E we have a team of vegetation management professionals who work every day to maintain the trees that grow near San Diego’s power grid.
Monitoring 460,000+ Trees to Enhance Safety
A key tool in our tree safety toolbox is an electronic database that monitors more than 460,000 trees that grow close to power lines in San Diego. This allows our arborists to quickly identify which trees need pruning and keep track of specific hazards in the area.
In addition, every overhead power line in the service territory is inspected at least once each year to check for unsafe trees, and lines in high-risk fire areas are inspected twice a year.
By proactively monitoring and pruning trees before they cause problems, the company has reduced the likelihood of power outages and enhanced public safety for all San Diegans. In fact, this effort has dramatically decreased tree-related outages over the last 10 years.
What Customers Can Do to Help
If a customer sees a tree that is too close to power lines or would like more information, they can call 1-800-411-7343 for assistance.
Customers can also learn where to plant trees that are compatible with powerlines at the following link: http://www.sdge.com/safety/tree-safety/healthy-trees-healthy-community