SCOTTSBURG ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT

Scottsburg Electric is owned and operated by the City of Scottsburg.

One of the biggest culprits of power outages and interruptions in the United States is due to tree limbs and plant growth interfering with electric infrastructure or falling on power lines. Keeping the lights on in Scottsburg homes and businesses is the number one priority for the city’s power utility, which is why the utility’s workers have focused
on maintaining vegetation in the community. Removing hazardous trees, pruning limbs, and trimming low-lying brush around Scottsburg’s electric infrastructure are some of the largest preventative measures that the utility can take to improve local reliability.

These efforts to effectively manage Scottsburg’s vegetation will benefit the community
for years to come. If left unmanaged, tree limbs that touch power lines can drain electricity off the electrical system, resulting in voltage loss. Low voltage can damage motor-driven appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and sensitive
electronics like computers. Even worse, tree limbs touching power lines put constant stress on live wires and potentially create a fire hazard if the branches catch fire and fall to the ground. Even if limbs aren’t directly touching utility lines, but are close by, they could easily be knocked into a line during a storm, risking a power outage. Maintaining healthy trees that are trimmed away from power lines will help Scottsburg’s utility to continue to ensure the high-quality electric service that they’ve provided for over 110 years.

Not only does the utility’s vegetation management improve power service, it also benefits the community in a number of other ways. Healthy tree and plant maintenance ensures that local drivers have better visibility, making the roads safer for everyone. It also reduces the occurrence of damage to vehicles and buildings from low hanging or falling limbs. Overgrown vegetation also poses a fire risk by providing an existing fire with additional fuel or being the cause of a fire in the first place. Scottsburg’s utility makes certain that this wide variety of risks is significantly decreased through their vegetation treatment plans.

“We’ve got a crew of lineworkers who are doing tree trimming around the clock to ensure that we’re not letting any trees or bushes get out of hand in any part of the community,” said Willie Daniels, Scottsburg Electric Superintendent.

“We’re undertaking several bigger projects to maintain and improve our electric reliability, but it’s just as important to focus on simple upkeep as well.”

Through the utility’s efforts, the community can continue to enjoy a safe environment and lowcost, reliable, and environmentally-responsible power supply.