As someone who’s spent many years out in the field as a lineman, I can tell you firsthand that trees are one of the biggest challenges we face in keeping the lights on. Northern Minnesota is a beautiful place to call home, but all those tall pines, birch, and popple can cause real problems when they get too close to our power lines.

The storm that tore through our area on June 20 was a perfect example. High winds took down trees and branches all across our system, leading to widespread outages. Our crews worked long hours to get everyone’s power back on, but I can tell you this—when the right of way is clear, it makes a huge difference. We can get in there faster, work more safely, and restore power much quicker.

That’s why vegetation management—what we call right of way clearing—is so important. Every year, we bring in trained contractors to trim hazardous trees and remove brush along our power lines. We also use biodegradable herbicides to keep brush and weeds like poison ivy under control. It’s about keeping our system reliable and safe for crews, our members and the communities we serve.

You can help too. If you spot a dead or leaning tree near our lines, give us a call rather than trying to take it down yourself. Working around power lines is dangerous, and we have the equipment and training to handle it safely. And when you’re planting new trees or shrubs, think about how big they’ll be in 10 or 20 years and how close they’ll be to the lines. Remember, power lines can sag in the heat or sway in the wind.

Your cooperative has been proactive in installing underground power lines, and currently have more than 75% of our system underground. So, another thing to keep in mind—if you have one of those green transformer boxes in your yard, please keep the area around it clear. Our crews need quick access to those boxes, especially during outages. A fence, flowerbed, or even a few shrubs too close can slow us down when time really matters.

I know right-of-way clearing isn’t the flashiest part of what we do, but trust me, it’s one of the most important. The work our crews and contractors do today makes the system stronger for the next storm that rolls through.

If you ever have questions about trees near our lines or how to plant safely around power equipment, give us a call. We’re happy to help, and it just might save you and your neighbors from an outage down the road.