There are an estimated 3.04 trillion trees on the planet. Trees shade us, beautify our yards and help stop climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air.

However, diseased or weakened trees, along with trees planted and growing near power lines can contribute to power outages when they come in contact with overhead electrical lines.

Despite a busy fall and winter, where National Grid has been preparing and responding to dozens of weather events, South Kingstown’s Director of Public Services says they are seeing fewer outages linked to downed trees during such events.

“I think we are finally getting ahead of the trees,” said Jon Schock, who has worked for South Kingstown for 35 years. “It seems to me we are seeing far fewer outages during windstorms. We are removing upwards of 20 to 30 trees annually and we are really putting a dent in the trees that are in the right-of-way.”

There are two reasons linked to fewer outages said Schock; a proactive approach by South Kingstown’s tree teams to identify trees for removal and sharing that information with National Grid and making town resources available for Grid crews during storms.   

“We go out every year and look at trees that are in the right-of-way and a threat to the public and we create a list of the trees including those that are a threat to overhead lines,” Schock explained. “Then Chris Rooney (National Grid’s Lead Supervisor for Vegetation Management) and his staff will come out and look at the trees that are a threat to utilities, and as National Grid removes them, our town provides traffic control and police details to make sure the job is done safely.”

National Grid has a robust tree trimming program to ensure safety and electric service reliability. Tree trimming is scheduled in Rhode Island’s cities and towns every four years, but it’s limited to those trees directly impacting electric wires only. And unless there’s a significant tree hazard affecting the electric wires, tree trimming is scheduled by geographic location.

Last March, one of the largest trees in South Kingstown, a tulip tree on South Road near the University of Rhode Island had to be removed. “It was a monster tree, five feet in diameter and probably one of the biggest trees in town,” Schock said. Since it was near electrical lines, a crane was used to remove it and National Grid paid for the removal.

According to Schock, National Grid is removing roughly 20 to 30 trees a year that are a threat to utilities in South Kingstown. The Town’s tree teams remove the rest. Since July of 2020, the town removed an additional 92 troublesome trees.

"People need to remember that these trees are not National Grid’s, they are the town’s and as long as people want a tree canopy, they run the risk of being without power,” said Schock.

That relationship of communication and cooperation lasts beyond blue sky days. During active storm events, Paul Stasiuk, National Grid’s Customer and Community Manager for South Kingston, reaches out to Schock’s team to request a payloader and back hoes or hoisting equipment for National Grid’s strike teams that can work to remove trees and limbs as safely and quickly as possible.

“Chris and Paul have been fantastic to work with,” Schock said. “We’ve been working closely like this for the past seven years and National Grid has helped tremendously.”

 “The consistency of National Grid’s relationship with South Kingstown has been there, that’s key,” said Rooney. “We meet a lot and we talk a lot; South Kingstown is very proactive and having a robust outreach helps.” 

South Kingstown has been extremely diligent in keeping an eye on their trees - more so than other towns, said Rooney. They are constantly following up on their residents’ concerns. The care and maintenance of trees is a responsibility we all have we appreciate the public’s attention and recognition of where a tree could land on a wire, impacting the system, he said. 

About National Grid

About National Grid: National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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