Vegetation Management
Transmission Line Vegetation Management
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I believe PPL Electric Utilities trimmed vegetation farther away from transmission wires than it needed to. Why?
A: When we clear trees, we have to consider the fact that power lines can sag quite a bit during periods of high electricity demand, and also can blow right to left in windy condition. Most of the time, high-voltage transmission lines do not sag significantly. But when operated at full capacity – such as on an extremely hot day, when power demand is greatest -- wires heat up and expand, sagging closer to the ground. These lines can sag as much as 20 to 30 feet lower than their normal location. We have to take this sag potential, and the possibility of lines blowing left and right, into account when we manage vegetation in the rights-of-way of power lines.

Q: What technology is PPL Electric Utilities using to examine its rights-of-way and identify vegetation that may need to be removed?
A: PPL Electric Utilities has surveyed its network of transmission lines using state-of-the-art LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, a sophisticated helicopter-based imaging system that helps pinpoint trees and other vegetation that may be too close to transmission lines. This technology is a great improvement over human-eye observation and enhances our ability to remove vegetation that poses reliability risks. For this work, PPL Electric Utilities hired GeoDigital, a leading LiDAR mapping company with extensive experience serving utility companies.

Q: Why does PPL Electric Utilities use herbicides on transmission rights of way?
A. The judicious use of herbicides is an important part of our vegetation management program. We use herbicides to manage undesirable growth in the right of way. These herbicides are all EPA approved and are applied by hand or using small ATVs. Herbicides are used on all transmission rights of way unless the easement agreement specifically prohibits it.

We take all necessary environmental precautions when using herbicides, some of which are the same as those commonly used by homeowners.

Herbicides are applied as part of the initial treatment of the right-of-way and in a three-year cycle thereafter. Our goal for the wire zone is to promote the growth of low-growing vegetation such as grasses and eliminate taller growing vegetation. We achieve this goal by using herbicides that target woody and broad-leafed vegetation but do not harm grasses and similar desirable plants.

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