Vegetation Management

Clay Electric Cooperative is committed to providing our member-owners with safe, reliable and affordable electric service. An effective vegetation management program is an essential part of fulfilling that commitment.

Vegetation Management Defined

Vegetation management is the process of controlling trees, shrubs, brush, vines and other plant growth that could come into contact with Clay Electric Cooperative’s distribution lines.

Clay Electric maintains more than 850 miles of energized, overhead line serving more than 3,200 meters throughout the rural areas of Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, Richland and Wayne counties. Managing vegetation within utility easements and rights-of-way helps us protect the electric system, reduce outages and safely maintain the lines that serve our members.

Our Primary Goal

The primary goal of Clay Electric Cooperative’s vegetation management program is to serve the best interests of the cooperative’s entire membership.

When evaluating vegetation concerns or individual member requests, we consider the potential impact on the reliability and safety of the electric system as a whole. Trees and other vegetation are assessed based on their location, condition and proximity to cooperative facilities. Clay Electric then determines whether or not the forestry crew should be assigned.

Our Approach

Clay Electric Cooperative uses an Integrated Vegetation Management, or IVM, approach to right-of-way maintenance. IVM combines several vegetation-control methods to provide safe, effective and environmentally responsible results.

Depending on the conditions at a particular location, vegetation management may include:

Manual tree trimming and brush removal
Mechanical clearing or mowing
Removal of hazardous or incompatible trees
Selective application of approved herbicides
Ongoing inspection and monitoring

Vegetation management work is planned on a cyclical basis, with crews generally working along complete circuits or line segments rather than addressing properties individually. This coordinated approach improves efficiency, promotes consistent clearance and helps reduce the likelihood of vegetation-related outages.

Clay Electric promotes sound arboricultural practices that preserve environmental quality while maintaining the clearances required for safe and reliable electric service. All work is performed in accordance with applicable local, state and federal requirements.

Vegetation growing too close to electric lines and equipment can:

Cause power outages or blinking lights
Create an electrical path to the ground
Increase the risk of fires
Create safety hazards for members, employees and contractors
Obstruct inspections of poles, lines and other equipment
Make repairs more difficult and increase the length of outages
Limit access needed for routine maintenance and emergency restoration

Keeping cooperative rights-of-way accessible allows Clay Electric personnel to identify potential problems, complete necessary maintenance and restore service more quickly following storms or other emergencies.

Clay Electric Cooperative staff can evaluate trees and other vegetation located near cooperative power lines.

Our vegetation management professionals are trained to prune or remove vegetation that threatens electric facilities or contributes to problems such as blinking lights, outages or unsafe working conditions.

We understand that trees are an important part of a member’s property. Our goal is to balance the health and appearance of trees with the clearances necessary to operate the electric distribution system safely and reliably.

Crews follow applicable American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, tree-pruning standards. These standards emphasize proper pruning techniques while providing adequate clearance around overhead electric lines. Because electric conductors require open space around them, trees near power lines may sometimes be pruned directionally rather than shaped for appearance.

Members can help prevent future conflicts by considering the mature height and spread of a tree before planting it near overhead lines or cooperative equipment.

Small trees and shrubs are generally better suited for locations near power lines. Larger trees should be planted far enough away that their mature canopy will not reach the electric right-of-way.

Members should also keep cooperative poles, meters, transformers and other equipment accessible. Please do not plant trees, shrubs or landscaping that could obstruct equipment or prevent crews from reaching it safely.

Contact Clay Electric Cooperative

Members who have questions about trees or other vegetation near Clay Electric facilities are encouraged to contact the cooperative before attempting any work.

Never attempt to trim or remove a tree that is touching, leaning toward or located close to an energized power line. Contact Clay Electric so the situation can be evaluated safely.

Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc.
7784 Old Highway 50
Flora, Illinois 62839
(618) 662-2171

Please contact our office with questions about vegetation management, electric rights-of-way or trees near cooperative power lines.