Trees and fallen limbs were a major cause of power outages during recent winter storms. In December, Austin Energy outlined a 10-year plan to address those risks, committing $340 million to vegetation management and wildfire mitigation as part of its broader Electric System Reliability Plan.
“Austin Energy is transitioning from a traditional, cycle-based vegetation maintenance model to a strategic, risk-based vegetation management approach as part of our Electric System Reliability Plan,” Austin Energy spokesperson Matt Mitchell said in a statement. “This tree-trimming model prioritizes circuits based on wildfire exposure, reliability performance and environmental sensitivity.”
The modernized program focuses on critical areas within the service territory and is intended to support more consistent power delivery, Mitchell added.
When the long-term reliability plan was announced, Austin Energy General Manager Stuart Reilly said Austin’s electric grid “is at least twice as reliable” as the statewide average.
“Our energy grid is already seeing benefits from this effort and we believe that will be the case again should we have winter storm conditions this weekend,” Mitchell said.
The utility is also preparing by inspecting equipment and placing additional crews on standby, he said.
“We’ll be ready to respond if we need to, whether impacts are weather-related or ERCOT grid-related, and we’ll keep the council and the public informed,” Reilly told Austin City Council members during a committee meeting Tuesday.