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Vegetation Management

Avangrid’s New Initiative To Use Data Analytics to Prioritize Proactive Tree Maintenance

Aug. 23, 2024

The method, which analyzes potential impact, historical reliability and risk, is under research at Avangrid’s New York State Electric & Gas and Rochester Gas and Electric.

Avangrid

Avangrid, a sustainable energy company and a member of the Iberdrola Group, has launched an initiative to improve reliability and grid resiliency for its electric customers, using data analytics to prioritize proactive tree maintenance.

The method, which analyzes potential impact, historical reliability and risk, is under research at Avangrid’s New York subsidiaries, New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), and has delivered significant benefits to customers.

NYSEG and RG&E addressed danger trees based on imminent risk identified by customer calls, worst performing circuit reports or the local arborist’s maintenance plans. However, the new data-driven approach uses data analysis to ensure reliability is at the forefront of decisions.

The system analyzes historical performance of the line, the number of customers served by the line, the number of high-risk trees and the type of protectant on the line (bare or covered) to determine priority levels for removing the danger tree. NYSEG and RG&E arborists create a detailed work plan based on the priorities.

The data analysis framework is possible due to Avangrid’s data consolidation efforts by its Operational Performance team. This effort added many data points from Avangrid’s eight electric and natural gas utilities into one cohesive system for advanced data analytics in a variety of areas.

Avangrid plans to boost its data analytics with tree work by adding more data points, such as the details on tree species, level of tree decay or from the company’s maintenance inspections and by integrating the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) system to help identify risks and field conditions to improve safety for its arborists.

About the Author

Avangrid

Avangrid is a leading sustainable energy company transitioning America toward a clean and connected future headquartered in Orange, CT, and has a footprint in 24 states with $44 billion in assets. We have two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through our networks business, we own and operate eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through our renewables business, we own and operate a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. With more than 8,000 employees, Avangrid has built a culture that blends diversity, equity and inclusion guided by the company’s ESG+F framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This has led to recognition by JUST Capital for four consecutive years as one of America’s best corporate citizens and second in utilities for our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve. Avangrid has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for six consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute.