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As part of our ongoing efforts to provide reliable electric service and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, our forestry crews continue to trim and remove trees away from the high-voltage transmission and distribution electric lines in Columbus and the surrounding area.
To comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requirements and to protect the national electric system, AEP must remove all trees and woody-stemmed vegetation within the right-of-way of any transmission lines that are part of the national electric grid. This proactive forestry work is critical in helping to prevent power outages and providing our crews with safe access for routine maintenance and equipment repairs. A single tree branch on a distribution power line can disrupt power for thousands of customers, while tree contact on a higher-voltage transmission line can cause widespread, extended outages across multiple states and regions.
Tree maintenance around AEP's 138kV high-voltage transmission lines in the Columbus area will take place from January 2025 through August 2025. Additionally, AEP Ohio will continue ongoing forestry work around our distribution power lines and equipment to help prevent power outages.
Below is more information on areas where work will take place as well as estimated timing.
West Columbus Inspections: December 2024 138kV Tree Work: January 2025
East Columbus Inspections: January-March 2025 138kV Tree Work: February-April 2025
South Columbus Inspections: February-April 2025 138kV Tree Work: March-May 2025
North Columbus Inspections: April-June 2025 138kV Tree Work: May-July 2025
Central Columbus Inspections: May-July 2025 138kV Tree Work: July-August 2025
In addition to the work outlined on the map, ongoing improvement and maintenance work will continue as needed across the region. Estimated work and timelines are subject to change dependent upon weather and/or unforeseen conditions.
If work is planned on your property, we'll reach out in advance. Our crews will also knock on your door to discuss our plan. If you're unavailable when we visit, we'll leave a door hanger with details and a number to call with any questions. Please be sure we have your best contact information.
At the time of our inspection, we'll knock on your door to speak with you about any tree-related work that may need to take place. If you are not home, a door hanger will be left with details and a number to call with any questions.
Once power is generated, it moves through high-voltage transmission power lines — you'll often recognize their tall steel towers and poles in your community. This high-voltage electricity travels long distances until it arrives at a substation in your area. From here, it travels shorter distances through distribution power lines and equipment to power your home or business.
Tree contact with transmission lines is a leading cause of electric power outages and a common cause of past regional blackouts, including the August 2003 blackout that affected 50 million people in the Northeast United States and Canada. Following the 2003 blackout and subsequent federal legislation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission designated the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) as the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), with the responsibility to develop and enforce standards to ensure the reliability of the Bulk Power System, including the Reliability Standard that addresses vegetation management on rights-of-way, FAC-003-4. Non-compliance can lead to significant penalties for utilities.
Sources: NERC and FERC
After our work is complete, our crews will clean up branches on maintained lawn areas, leaving the wood and any tree stumps behind. In non-maintained areas, we'll leave the wood and branches behind in an organized manner to decompose naturally. Please note, our cleanup crews sometimes come a few days after our trimming crews complete work.
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