No matter what happens over the next few days, we stand storm ready. Most important is the safety of those living and working in communities where Francine will strike. Then, restoring power is the top priority and first order of business. The restoration process is done in an orderly, deliberate manner. We assemble and organize the workforce needed to restore service safely and quickly to all customers. While we already have additional resources on the way and are strategically positioning restoration workers, it’s important to remember that hurricanes can cause severe damage inland and lead to extended power outages.

Thanks to the reliability work and grid improvements we’ve completed, along with our normal year-round storm preparedness efforts, we are ready to respond. As with any storm, we know there will be challenges. Saturated grounds and high winds are expected in parts of our service area hardest hit by last year’s drought, which , particularly off right-of-way trees that may uproot or fall and damage our electrical equipment.

Customers should prepare before severe weather threatens the area. Making sure you have a family emergency plan and a kit of basic supplies are smart ways to prepare. If you or your loved ones depend on life support or other that requires electricity – or refrigerated medications – it is especially important to be prepared for unplanned, extended outages. While crews are dedicated to restoring power, we advise customers to have a backup system and plan in place for relocating or providing a backup power source should power outages or other emergencies occur.

You can learn how to make an emergency kit, stay informed and download the app, and get important safety tips for before and after the storm at the . The most dangerous part of a storm is often just after it has passed. Hazards are all around us following severe weather – from downed electric lines and equipment, vegetation and other debris, personal generator risks or flooding dangers. Stay away from downed power lines and areas of debris. Energized lines may not be visible among the rubble. Report downed lines immediately by calling 800-9OUTAGE (800-968-8243). Don’t walk in flooded areas or standing water. Remember that wet tree limbs can conduct electricity.

Our teams are resilient and so are our communities. I know that we will rise to any challenge that comes our way. We appreciate your patience and encourage you to watch for updates on the , our social media channels and local media outlets.

Thank you,
Haley Fisackerly
President and CEO
Entergy Mississippi

One of the best ways to reduce interruption to electric service is by maintaining adequate clearance between power lines and trees.

Entergy has 3,000 miles of transmission lines in Mississippi. Trimming trees along these lines from the ground can be challenging due to the terrain and access to the area where the transmission lines are located. Also, ground-based equipment cannot always reach the tops of the trees, so Entergy Mississippi uses another tool from its reliability toolbox: the aerial saw.

“Vegetation management is an important way to prevent outages, especially during severe weather,” said Shawn Corkran, vice president, reliability. “Having this tool allows us to cover the ground where trimming is necessary in far less time and at a reduced cost.”

The aerial saw, which Entergy recently brought back into operation in partnership with Aerial Solutions, Inc., extends 130 feet below a hovering helicopter and includes ten 24-inch blades. With a gentle throttle by the pilot, the suspended circular saw blades can trim a targeted 20-foot path through a clustered Southern tree line along the edge of a towering transmission line.

Through a massive team effort involving crews from vegetation management, capital projects, safety, power delivery, aviation and operations, an aerial saw project launched recently in Mississippi. After first trimming trees in an area between Vicksburg and Natchez, the crews moved on to trim vegetation along transmission lines between Clinton and Greenville. Additional areas for trimming may be added as those areas are completed.

Typical ground-based tree trimming equipment reaches a maximum height of 65-70 feet in the air. With the aerial saw, the sky is the limit. Using the aerial saw allows crews to complete projects in a fraction of the time that ground-based equipment takes. A project that would take eight months to complete with ground-based equipment can be completed in approximately four weeks with the aerial saw. Cutting down the time needed also reduces the costs of the projects.

“When we put together our tree-trimming strategy, the most important things to consider are the safety of our crew members, the ability to maximize reliability for our customers, and the efficiency of the operation in order to manage costs,” said Curtis Robertson, operations coordinator for Entergy’s vegetation support team. “The aerial saw is achieving all of the above, systemwide.”

Entergy performs trimming on transmission rights-of-way on an as-needed basis determined by aerial and ground-based patrols. Crews use industry measures to preserve the health of the trees to the degree possible. To do this, we follow specifications developed by the International Society of Arboriculture.

In addition, the  has repeatedly named Entergy a Tree Line USA utility as a result of our commitment to proper tree pruning, planting and care in our service area. Learn more here.

Trimming around transmission lines represents just one facet of vegetation management. Entergy Mississippi also trims and removes trees that are too close to distribution lines. Learn more about how we trim trees.

One of the best ways to reduce interruption to electric service is by maintaining adequate clearance between power lines and trees. There are more than 16,000 miles of transmission lines carrying high-voltage electricity to communities throughout Entergy’s service territory. The aerial saw provides a safe and efficient tool for crews to maintain vegetation around power transmission and distribution systems.

“There is no comparison when I think about the effectiveness of this tool,” said Curtis Robertson, Operations Coordinator for Entergy’s Vegetation Support team. “From the marshes in Louisiana to the mountains in Arkansas and everything in between, managing vegetation around our lines can be challenging with ground-based equipment. To operate in many of these environments, there is no better tool at our disposal than the aerial saw.”

Typical ground-based tree trimming equipment reaches a maximum height of 65-70 feet in the air. With the aerial saw, the sky is the limit. Robertson remarked that a recent project in Arkansas – which would typically require up to 8 months to complete with traditional, ground-based equipment – was completed in just 4 weeks with the aerial saw.

Due to the extraordinary efficiency of this tool, Entergy’s vegetation management teams are able to replace some of the higher-cost, manual trimming activities across Entergy’s service territory to save both time and money.

“When we put together our tree-trimming strategy, the most important things to consider are the safety of our crew members, the ability to maximize reliability for our customers, and the efficiency of the operation in order to manage costs,” said Robertson. “The aerial saw is achieving all of the above, systemwide.”

Entergy performs trimming on transmission right-of-ways on an as-needed basis determined by aerial and ground based patrols. Crews use industry measures to preserve the health of the trees to the degree possible. To do this, we follow specifications developed by the International Society of Arboriculture.

In addition, the  has repeatedly named Entergy a Tree Line USA utility as a result of our commitment to proper tree pruning, planting and care in our service area. Learn more here.

These conditions also caused broader concerns for our electrical system. As we know, one of the leading causes of power outages is vegetation coming in contact with our infrastructure.

With some portions of our service territory falling two feet below their normal rainfall over the past three months, it has caused extreme stress on those limbs and branches that can impede with power lines.

Rest assured we are doing everything we can to avoid that damaged vegetation causing outages for our customers. That’s why we’ve accelerated our usual tree-trimming across the state, particularly in those portions that have a thicker tree canopy.

We ask our customers to have patience and understanding as we make our way through our communities to trim this vegetation. Please stay away from crews and let them do their jobs efficiently and for their safety and your own.

Our extensive vegetation management program helps shield our electric lines from overgrown vegetation so we can reduce vegetation-related incidents and deliver safe and reliable service.

Environmental stewardship

Through our ongoing vegetation management efforts, we recently committed $1.9 million in in-kind contributions over five years to the , which funds projects that improve wildlife habitats and foster biodiversity.

Through the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will match our $1.9 million in in-kind contributions. This federal grant will help qualifying private landowners in Arkansas and Louisiana implement herbicide and other programs to promote biodiversity on their lands.

“Maintaining the biodiversity in our service territory and taking care of the environment that supports it all is an integral part of who we are,” said Charles Long, interim senior vice president of power delivery at Entergy.

The benefits of herbicides

At Entergy, herbicides are a key part of our robust vegetation management program. They allow us to manage invasive vegetation early on – while it’s low – to safely protect our transmission lines in our rights-of-way.

Through our low-volume, selective herbicide application program, we can responsibly target and clear invasive and tall-growing vegetation with precision. In turn, we mitigate disruption to native species and foster more hospitable habitats for local foliage and wildlife.

“Our vegetation management practices help protect water quality and the diverse species and habitats in our service area, while providing the clean, affordable and reliable electricity that powers life,” said Long.

Ready for storm season

We take a systematic, comprehensive and year-round approach to vegetation management. We’re prepared to respond to the worst, especially during hurricane season.

Our ongoing storm preparations include rights-of-way inspections at scheduled intervals, with the goal of clearing incompatible vegetation that could pose reliability or safety risks.

After a storm, our priority is restoring power safely and efficiently. We remove downed trees and limbs that interfere with our electric lines and equipment to facilitate safe service restoration.

To learn more about our vegetation management initiatives, visit www.entergy.com/tree-trimming.

�ճ���� recognizes electric utilities for implementing best practices that protect and develop America’s urban tree canopy. The program is a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, which promotes delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community forests.

“Trees and vegetation are part of our region’s natural environment and also one of the leading causes of power outages for utilities,” said Charles Long, interim senior vice president of power delivery. “Entergy has a robust vegetation management program that protects the power lines and ensures reliable electric service for our customers’ homes and businesses. At the same time, we’re helping sustain both our urban and rural landscapes, which improves quality of life for our customers and communities.”

Entergy achieved the Tree Line USA recognition by meeting five program standards: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a tree-based energy conservation program, and a sponsorship of or participation in annual Arbor Day events.

“Trees are essential to creating more urban green spaces in communities across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “In addition, they provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water, and vital tree shade. Service providers like Entergy demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents.”

By joining the Tree Line USA program, energy service providers benefit from lowering line clearance costs due to proper pruning. As a result of those properly pruned and maintained trees, customers and communities benefit from increased reliability of service because those trees will have healthy root systems that decay less, have less structural weakness, and ultimately result in fewer downed lines during storms.

For more information about Entergy’s tree management practices, visit Entergy’s website.

The No. 1 cause of power outages for Entergy Arkansas customers is vegetation — fallen trees, drooping limbs, and overgrown vines and shrubs caused 18 percent of outages over the last five years.

Entergy Arkansas prunes and cuts down problem growth and performs other vegetation management to prevent damage to power lines, improve electrical reliability and ensure that work crews can safely access equipment to make necessary repairs. This also includes removal of trees and shrubbery directly below the power lines, which affects access to our equipment for inspections and repairs.

Because Arkansas has a long growing season due to its temperate climate, our vegetation management program is ongoing, year-round.

Why We Trim, Spray

It is common to have trees grow to more than 100 feet tall in our right-of-way corridors, some even reaching as high as 160 feet. Fast-spreading species, like the black willow tree which can gain six to seven feet each year, can grow from ground level into our lines within just three to four years. We also have threats like the locust tree, which produces thorns up to eight inches long that can poke holes in tires and go through the soles of shoes when stepped on.

It’s important to have appropriate clearance for safer access by our crews for maintenance and especially during power restoration, and it can help mitigate falling trees and limbs onto our power lines during severe weather. One ice-laden tree limb can weigh as much as 500 pounds, which will not only bring down power lines but could also snap poles – as many as five at one time. entergy.com/tree_trimming

We also spray plants and shrubbery that are overgrown in the right-of-way, using glyphosate-based herbicides, which are subject to rigorous testing and oversight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and proven to be safe for people and pets. In addition, vegetation crews use application methods that are designed to minimize the drift of herbicides outside of Entergy’s right-of-way. Finally, Entergy’s vegetation management program is subject to the oversight of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. 

What We Trim

Primary Lines: Entergy Arkansas routinely maintains the vegetation along our power lines (pole-to-pole) ensuring appropriate clearance on the power lines for safety, reliability, and tree health. For more information, visit: entergy.com/tree_trimming_how

Tree Trimming Crews

We hire professional tree-trimming contractors trained in Occupational Safety & Health Administration regulations, the latest arboricultural techniques, and safety procedures. We are committed to pruning your trees professionally to maintain their health and improve reliable electric service. entergy.com/tree_trimming_crews

Plant in the Proper Place

Before you start planting, look up! Locate your power lines and make sure that what you are planting and where you are planting will not interfere with your electric service now or in the years to come. See our pruning zones here: entergy.com/tree_trimming_landscape

Guidelines to keep in mind when planting trees:

• Small trees that mature to a height of no more than 20 feet can be planted 15 feet on either side of utility wires. This includes planting trees near the street, just so long as power lines are at least 25 feet above ground.
• Trees with mature heights between 20 feet and 50 feet should be planted a minimum of 35 feet away from power lines.
• Trees with a mature height of more than 50 feet should be planted at least 50 feet from power lines.
• Check with your local nursery if you are unsure of how big your tree is expected to grow.

If you see a tree or branch that looks dangerously close to the power lines (pole-to-pole), you can call 1-800-368-3749 (1-800-ENTERGY) and report it. A representative of Entergy Arkansas will assess the situation and advise what needs to be done.

The recognizes electric utilities for implementing best practices that protect and develop America’s urban tree canopy. The program is a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, which promotes delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community forests.

“Trees and vegetation are part of our region’s natural environment and also one of the leading causes of power outages for utilities,” said Rick Riley, senior vice president of distribution operations and asset management. “Entergy has a robust vegetation management program that protects the lines that deliver power to customers’ homes and businesses and ensures reliable electric service. At the same time, we are helping sustain both our urban and rural landscapes, which improves quality of life in our communities.”

Entergy achieved the Tree Line USA recognition by meeting five program standards: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a formal tree-based energy conservation, and a sponsorship of or participation in annual Arbor Day events.

“Trees are essential to creating more urban green spaces in communities across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “In addition, they provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water, and vital tree shade. Service providers like Entergy demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents.”

By joining the Tree Line USA program, energy service providers benefit from lowering line clearance costs due to proper pruning. As a result of those properly pruned and maintained trees, customers and communities benefit from increased reliability of service because those trees will have healthy root systems that decay less, have less structural weakness, and ultimately result in fewer downed lines during storms.

For more information about Entergy’s tree care practices, visit Entergy’s website.

That’s why, since fall 2018, ���ϳԹ��� has provided free trees to customers through the Arbor Day Foundation’s ���ϳԹ���-Saving Trees program. Since then, 2,700 trees have been delivered directly to customers’ homes across the company’s four-state utility service area, including Louisiana.

This fall, 250 Louisiana homeowners reserved free trees. The trees came with instructions for determining the best place to plant for energy-saving benefits. The free tree program provides an interactive website where customers can virtually place their trees on their properties for guidance to optimize the benefits.

The program also helps customers plant trees in areas that won’t interfere with the company’s overhead lines or other equipment. This helps improve safety and service reliability for customers.

While customers benefit, so do our communities and the environment. Last year, Entergy’s Environmental Initiative Fund and vegetation management organization:

• Avoided over 1.5 million pounds of carbon
• Absorbed over 3,000 pounds of air pollutants
• Filtered over 6 million gallons of storm water in Louisiana

“The positive impact of tree-planting is significant for our customers, communities and the environment,” said Kelli Dowell, Entergy’s director of environmental policy who manages the fund. “These benefits are a good example of how the work we do on behalf of one of our stakeholders, like customers, often has additional benefits for others. This program also demonstrates the triple bottom line of sustainability: environmental, social and financial.”

Since 2018, the trees planted through funding provided by Entergy’s environmental grant program and the corporation’s vegetation management organization have helped sequester/avoid 12 million pounds of carbon, absorbed 27,000 pounds of other air pollutants and filtered 50 million gallons of stormwater across Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. For Entergy’s investment of approximately $100,000, the combined energy savings and community benefits exceed $1.1 million.

“Partnering with utilities and other companies to encourage tree-planting and care is an effective way to help protect the environment and reduce the impacts of climate change,” said Kristen Bousquet, the Arbor Day Foundation’s program manager. “Trees help enhance and sustain our urban environments by providing shade, improving the air we breathe, and supporting water and soil management.”

Customers can watch for new opportunities to reserve free trees from Entergy in 2020.

Related Articles:

• Entergy Harnesses the Power of Trees
• Entergy Customers Claim Free ���ϳԹ��� Saving Trees

The group of volunteers was organized by Robert Rowlette, vegetation operations coordinator based in Russellville. They were among other volunteers placing flags at each of the 7,000-plus graves to honor the veterans on Memorial Day. They’ll be back next week to pick up the flags so they can be stored for future use.

Rowlette said the vegetation group helped with a program called Saluting Branches last year in the national Veterans Cemetery in Little Rock. Through Saluting Branches, Entergy donates tree trimming services at a selected military cemetery. They had already agreed to do the same at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery later this year. When Rowlette made a site visit, the proprietor mentioned that they could use some volunteers to place flags for Memorial Day.

All the volunteers, as pictured in the group photo from left, were Paul Boyd, Diane Jones, Kent Reno (a contract forester with ACRT), Robert Rowlette, John Everitt, Adam Zomant, Britt Jones.