Tree Trimming & Vegetation

 

Here in Florida’s Heartland, we cherish our green landscapes and trees. However, trees and power lines are not a good combination for the successful delivery of reliable power to you, which is our top priority.

As you plant trees on your property, please know the height of your tree at maturity and review the tree planting guide to ensure your tree is planted far enough from power lines to keep power flowing to you.

With our nearly year-round growing season, staying on top of tree maintenance is a constant project. To help us deliver reliable power, we use a systematic right-of-way plan to maintain our 2,700 miles of power lines.

Here are a few ways we ensure your power reliability through right-of-way-maintenance:

• Glades Electric, with the help of our tree-trimming contractor, is working to maintain a three-year cycle for trimming trees and vegetation along all our lines.
• Trimming methods include directional pruning, removing only branches that grow toward utility lines. Keeping branches growing down or away from wires directs future growth and reduces regrowth toward lines.
• We move through our territory by substation, prioritizing areas where vegetation is likely to have the greatest negative impact on power lines.
• Only trees in the direct path of the power line are trimmed. It is each member’s responsibility to have other trees on their property trimmed.
• We encourage members to maintain their trees BEFORE they interfere with power lines and equipment. Don’t trim any vegetation growing on or near overhead power lines. Only specially trained line-clearing professionals should work around power lines. Be sure to locate a licensed and insured contractor to trim your trees.

To maintain reliability, please make sure crews have access to power lines that run through gated portions of your property. If you have a gate, please ask our Member Services Department for a Glades Electric lock or provide your gate access code to keep on file.