Trees are beneficial in many ways: They absorb harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide; produce oxygen; prevent soil erosion; and provide fruit for food and healing purposes. Well-placed trees can even help reduce your summer air conditioning needs and increase your property value.

But KIUC’s Construction Superintendent Samisoni “Soni” Tupou provides a much different perspective about trees.

“Trees are great, but trees and power lines just don’t mix,” he says. On an island as lush and green as Kauaʻi, with nearly constant trade winds and occasional stormy weather, trees and vegetation can cause one too many outages. While most are remedied quickly once branches are cleared, responding to tree-related outages is a continual challenge for KIUC personnel.

For years, KIUC has retained private tree-trimming contractors to conduct year-round activities focusing on areas with dense vegetation growth and hot spots identified using data from the cooperative’s outage management system. Soni and his crew conduct regular aerial inspections of KIUC’s transmission system, surveying more than 1,000 miles of overhead line.

Historically, KIUC budgeted roughly $1.2 million a year for this work. In 2024, KIUC will spend $2.1 million on its vegetation management program. That figure is estimated to reach $2.4 million in 2025.

“Vegetation management these days means so much more than trimming branches to prevent outages,” KIUC Transmission and Distribution Manager John Cox says. “Keeping lines, poles and the ground underneath our electric infrastructure free of overgrowth is also critical to preventing wildfires.

“The tragic events on Maui in 2023 changed our perspective as it relates to these activities. We’ve hired private contractors using drones to inspect every circuit to identify not only poles and equipment in need of repair, but also vegetation that could be ignited by fallen utility lines.”

So far, the cost of drone inspections—completed in the Wailua-Kapaʻa area, as well as on the south and west sides of the island—is $300,000. John says the workload created by these inspections resulted in KIUC securing additional private contractors to keep up with the most urgent work orders.

While KIUC steps up its vegetation management efforts, members have a role to play as well.

“Homeowners and businesses can really help out by making sure trees aren’t planted where they can interfere with power lines,” Soni says.

Maintaining trees and other vegetation on your property can also reduce your risk in the event of wildfires. Because of safety concerns, KIUC advises property owners to use certified tree trimmers for branches close to utility lines.

KIUC is committed to providing reliable power, responding promptly to outages and doing its part to prevent wildfires. With the assistance of its members, KIUC’s vegetation management program can be a win-win for all involved.

NOTE TO MEMBERS:

KIUC and its vegetation management contractors will implement new tree trimming protocols as of December 2024:

• Distribution line trimming. Trimming is conducted to allow for a 15-foot clearance from distribution lines. As a property owner, you can help!

• Transmission line trimming. Trimming is conducted to allow for a 50-foot clearance from transmission lines.

The clearances will be more extensive than in the past. The change is the result of KIUC’s ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts. Preventing trees from striking lines is extremely important in the goal to prevent ignition from power lines and equipment.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to keep Kauaʻi and our members safe.

As a property owner, you can help!

• Before planting trees, the Hawaiʻi One Call Center can help you avoid both overhead and underground utility lines. Call 811 or 866-423-7287.

• For safety reasons, contract with certified tree trimmers when branches are close to utility lines.

• For more information on your role in vegetation management for fire mitigation, visit www.kiuc.coop/wildfire