How We Prevent Outages

We work proactively year-round to maintain the most reliable electrical system possible. And it makes a difference. Here are some of the ways we help keep the lights on:

Tree wire

Trees are a major cause of power outages in Clark County. To help prevent tree-related outages, we have replaced many miles of overhead transmission and distribution lines in heavily wooded areas with tree wire. Tree wire is wrapped in a nonconductive coating that helps prevent outages caused by limbs and branches on lines, and dramatically improves reliability in rural areas.

Preventive tree trimming

Many utilities trim trees when outages occur, but we have a preventive tree-trimming program. Each mile of overhead line is trimmed every three years to help keep our equipment clear. It’s one reason Clark County often fares much better during extreme weather events than other utilities in the area.

Below is an example of the various tree-trimming methods we use.

 

 

 

 

 

Underground cable treatment

In some areas of Clark County, aging underground cable is buried directly in the dirt. It’s protected from wind and rain, but can also fail and cause outages. To help prevent these issues, we inject silicone into the lines to extend cable life by at least 20 years.

Outage detective

Our outage detective is a senior lineman solely dedicated to monitoring the system out in the field. They’re equipped with specialized technology and tools to identify “hot spots” and prevent outages.

How You Can Help

  • Watch for trees growing into or around power lines, and request trimming when you see the need in your area.
  • Never plant trees or bushes directly under or around electrical equipment. Talk to your local nursery about trees that grow no taller than 25 feet when planning to plant around power lines. Or read more in our Resource Center.
  • Visit the Red Cross power outage preparedness site to make your power outage emergency kit and learn safe practices during and after an outage.
  • Check on family members or neighbors who may need help during a power outage.