Item 16: Distribution Vegetation Management Pgm — original pdf

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Item 16 Austin Energy Distribution Vegetation Management Program Date: June 21, 2021 Joseph Osborne Electric System Field Operations Manager © 2018 Austin Energy Frozen Vegetation on Power Lines • Three winter storms crossed the area Feb. 11-18 • • Ice weighed down limbs overhanging power lines, causing outages prior to ERCOT mandated outages Ice accumulation continued and damaged limbs continued falling after mandated outages ended • Frozen lines and vegetation created hazardous working conditions • Contributed to increased restoration times 2 AE - VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM How does Austin Energy’s tree pruning impact reliability? 2021 Feb 2021 Ice Storm Electric Outages No vegetation caused outages No vegetation caused outages Primary cause of outages was vegetation contact with power lines. This includes direct contact, falling trees, and falling branches. There were also 4 automobile accidents that destroyed poles and resulted in damages Winter Event Timeline (February 11-21) Ice Storm & Wind Ice Storms, High Winds, & Crystalline Snow Storm Ice storm and Freezing Rain POLAR VORTEX & BELOW FREEZING EVENT ERCOT-DIRECTED OUTAGES FEB. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 FEB. 21 Feb 11-21: • 42 Local Vegetation Crews Feb 15-21 • 42 Local Vegetation Crews plus 32 Mutual Aid Vegetation Crews Feb 22-26 • All Vegetation Crews were conducting debris cleanup and trimming Austin Energy Pillars of Excellence Quality Vegetation Management Program Reliability (Under Performing) Sustainability (5 yr. – 7 yr. cycle) Fire Mitigation (Risk Mitigation) AE - VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AE Vegetation Management (VM) Distribution Workload-Mar 1- Sept 30, 2021 5 5 6 735 161 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% VM Tickets North/South VM CIP Projects North/South VM North Circuits VM South Circuits % AE VM Distribution Workload VM Wildfire & Underperforming Feeders • Mar 1, 2021- Sept 30, 2021 Workload Percentage • VM Customer Request Tree Pruning Tickets- North (430) South (305) = Total 735 • VM Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Tree Pruning- North (50) South (101) = Total 161 ST07- Before ST07-After Steck 07 – Sept 19 7 Environmental Pruning Limitations Month Jan Feb Pruning Schedule Prune Oak Wilt Season Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Oak Wilt Season/Bird Habitat Preservation Oak Wilt Season/Bird Habitat Preservation Oak Wilt Season/Bird Habitat Preservation Oak Wilt Season/Bird Habitat Preservation Oak Wilt Season/Bird Habitat Preservation Bird Habitat Preservation Prune Prune Prune Prune Non-Oak tree work continues on all planned circuits 8 DISTRIBUTION VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DISTRIBUTION VEGETATION MANAGEMENT: 2021 Contractor Crews Ramp Up Information January 17, 2021 AE VM Distribution Energized Line Clearance Contractors • Asplundh Tree -20 crews • Wright Tree- 15 crews • Davey Tree- 3 crews • TOTAL 38 June 2021 AE VM Distribution Energized Line Clearance Contractors • Asplundh Tree- 20 crews • Wright Tree – 20 crews • Davey Tree – 18 crews • TOTAL 58 9 Collaboration with AFD on Wildfire Risk Areas 10 Recent Improvements 1. Remaining in areas with many oaks to continue pruning during oak wilt season • Continuing to prepare workplans on oaks • Ready to begin pruning oaks as soon as oak wilt window has closed • Prioritizing oak pruning outside of oak wilt window (Aug. – Jan.) 2. Recently established industry standards for pruning • Prevents a repeat of current overgrowth • Fast-growing trees pruned back to 15 feet • Slow-growing trees pruned back to 10 feet 3. Possibility of pruning certain oaks during oak wilt window • Limited oak tree pruning could be performed during oak wilt window • On underperforming feeders, wild fire risks and for emergencies • Tools must be sterilized between each tree pruning and pruning cuts protected 11 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Public Assistance –Collaboration with Council Members Improve overall wildfire and underperforming feeder tree pruning objectives • STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION/MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, EUC, HOA’s, ARR AND PROPERTY OWNERS: • Educate the public of the importance of tree pruning/removals for the safety of AE Staff while accessing AE infrastructure • Educate the public of the Line Clearance’s specifications implemented in 2019 • Fast-growing species: 15 ft., Slow-growing species: 10 ft., Transmission Cables: 25 ft. • Educate the public and Council Members of the additional VM Programs implemented to improve system reliability and safety for AE staff and the public • Trees that grow too closely to power lines also pose a reliability risk to customers Unpruned trees: • • Can cause serious injuries or fatalities to anyone who climbs trees too close to power Increase the likelihood of fires. lines 12 Questions? ©2019 Austin Energy. All rights reserved. Austin Energy and the Austin Energy logo and combinations thereof are trademarks of Austin Energy, the electric department of the City of Austin, Texas. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.