Sam Houston EC’s Dead Tree Program Explained

In an average year, Sam Houston Electric Cooperative cuts down 7,000 dead trees, or an average of one dead tree per mile of line.

In 2023, Sam Houston EC cut 26,000 dead trees, an average of 3.6 trees per mile of line. So far in 2024, 11,000 dead trees have been cut, an average of 6.9 trees per mile of line.

Sam Houston EC launched its “dead tree program” in 2021, Chad Simon said during a recent program for the Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce.

“Following Winter Storm Uri, many of the hardier trees were damaged, causing problems on our lines. Then we had the drought last year,” Simon said.

“It’s a huge expense for us and it takes a lot of time, so we’re starting on the west side and then moving east,” he said.

As expensive and time-consuming as this may seem, with over 7,000 miles of power lines, it’s almost imperative.

“This is part of our right-of-way program, but it should not be confused with right-of-way reduction,” he said, commenting that Sam Houston EC currently has 10 different contractor teams working throughout the system , particularly on the dead tree program.

He said power lines are cut every five years, but if a branch is spotted near a line it can be reported and it will be inspected. Every mile of the more than 7,000 miles of line is patrolled annually in the 10 counties served by the electric cooperative.

After the dead and dangerous trees were discovered, Simon said crews identified them, cut them down and left them there.

“We’ll leave the tree in a safe place for you,” he said. “We don’t remove debris from dead trees because they’re your property. We don’t actually own the trees. We own the power lines. We can’t pay to have them cut down and removed.”

“As far as recent storms go, I wasn’t there during Hurricane Harvey, but those who were there compared them to Harvey,” Simon said. “These were not typical East Texas storms.

“We are currently in the midst of hurricane season. Make sure you have backup batteries. Be prepared to evacuate the area. If a major hurricane hits our area (Category 3 or higher), it could take up to two weeks to repair and restore our system,” Simon said.

Call 800-458-0381 to speak with a Member Services Representative who can answer your questions or connect you with the Rights of Way Department.