ReliabiliTree Frequently Asked Questions

ReliabiliTree Overview

1. What is the purpose of the program?
2. When did the program begin?
3. How does ReliabiliTree differ from current tree trimming practices?
4. How many crews will be dedicated to Reliabilitree?
5. How much will this program cost?
6. How are you educating the public about this program?

Line Clearance

7. How much of a problem do trees pose to our electrical system?
8. How much of a difference does clearing trees under power lines make to customer outages?
9. What is the white (or orange) dot on my tree?
10. What will my neighborhood look like after work is completed?
11. Why is work being done near my house but not at my house?
12. Wouldn't it be better to bury power lines?
13. Will ReliabiliTree crews clear the branches along the line that goes from the pole to my house?

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ReliabiliTree Overview

1. What is the purpose of the program?

This revitalized vegetation management program will help improve electric service reliability by mitigating one of the main causes of power outages - vegetation near power lines. ReliabiliTree puts circuit clearance on a four-five year cycle. The program supports Westar's core value of safety for its employees, contractors and the public.

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2. When did the program begin?

ReliabiliTree began as a pilot in the Wichita metro area in 2010. ReliabiliTree is currently active in all regions of Westar's territory.

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3. How does ReliabiliTree differ from current tree trimming practices?

Our approach to trimming trees has been on an outage-based priority system. For many circuits this may mean trees are not trimmed for 8-10 years. With ReliabiliTree, we will trim trees on urban circuits every four years, and trim rural circuits every five years.

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4. How many crews will be dedicated to ReliabiliTree?

We will dedicate 140 crews, around 350 contract employees, to ReliabiliTree. These contractors follows all Westar customers service and safety policies.

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5. How much will this program cost?

We estimate our company-wide ReliabilTree program will cost $34 million per year to achieve 4/5 year clearance cycles. We have seen significant improvement in our service reliability in areas already trimmed under the ReliabiliTree program.

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6. How are you educating the public about this program?

It's important that we educate the public on the purpose and goals of this initiative. We will meet with the City and/or County Commissions, City staff, and homeowner/neighborhood associations to explain the program and answer questions. We are also implementing a public education campaign that will consist of various methods for disseminating the information. Residents will receive a door hanger with information about the ReliabiliTree program prior to work being done at their home. Contact information will be included.

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Line Clearance

7. How much of a problem do trees pose to our electrical system?

Trees and power lines are natural enemies. When tress come into contact with power lines, electric service is hampered and, more importantly, a dangerous situation is created for both the public and our employees in charge of keeping the lights on. In a nutshell, the goal of Westar's ReliabiliTree line clearance program is to balance safe, reliable service with preserving the health and appearance of trees.

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8. How much of a difference does clearing trees under power lines make to customer outages?

In areas where we have cleared circuits of vegetation, tree-related power outages have dropped more than 60 percent.

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9. What is the white (or orange) dot on my tree?

We use a dot system to help crews identify trees that need attention. A white dot means a tree needs to be pruned. An orange dot means a tree needs to be removed. The dots are placed toward the bottom of the tree, if the tree was accessible.

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10. What will my neighborhood look like after work is completed?

Our goal is to balance safe, reliable service with preserving the health and beauty of trees. ReliabiliTree will follow the same tree pruning practices recommended by the International Society of Arboriculture standards and by the Tree Care Industry Association pruning standards. The species of tree determines the amount of pruning. After pruning, the tree may look somewhat "stark" but over time the tree will fill out.

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11. Why is work being done near my house but not at my house?

Crews are assigned work by electrical circuits. In some areas, multiple circuits feed a particular neighborhood. This is why you might see work performed near your house but not on the lines that directly service your home.

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12. Wouldn't it be better to bury the power lines?

Burying power lines is very costly and comes with it other challenges. Customers may experience longer interruptions with buried power lines because it takes more time to determine the cause and make repairs. Excavation work may also be required to diagnose and repair problems with buried power lines.

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13. Will ReliabiliTree crews clear the branches along the line that goes from the pole to my house?

ReliabiliTree crews only clear branches along lines in the utility easement (from pole to pole). Trimming along service lines from the pole to home is the customer's responsibility. Upon request, Westar will temporarily remove the service line so customers can have branches along the service line trimmed. We will return to reattach the service line once the customer notifies us the work is complete. Call our customer relations center at (800) 383-1183 to schedule this service.

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