• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

843-672-6111

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Lynches River Electric Cooperative - Home

Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Founded in 1939, LREC is a not-for-profit member-owned electric cooperative organized to provide electricity to citizens in rural areas where electric energy was not currently available.

Skip NavigationMenu
  • Apps
  • My Account
    • Close
    • Update Your Info
    • Close
  • Outage Map
    • Close
    • Report an Outage
    • Close
  • Contact
    • Close
    • Contact Form
    • Request Light Repair
    • Report LREC Energy Theft
    • Close
  • Search
  • Sitemap
Skip NavigationMenu
  • RiverNet Connect High-Speed Internet
  • Your Service
    • Close
    • Login
    • Scam Alert
    • View & Pay Bill
      • Your Bill
      • Understanding Your Bill
      • Ways to Pay
      • CheckOut by Pay-Go
      • Payment Sites
      • Bank Draft
      • Pre-Pay
      • E-Billing
      • Online Bill Pay
      • Levelized Billing
    • Member Services
      • Update Your Info
      • Electric Service
      • Disconnect Service
      • Request Light Repair
      • Your Phone Number
      • Medical Priority
      • Gift of Power
    • Mobile Apps
    • Forms and Applications
    • Close
  • Our Community
    • Close
    • Operation Round Up
    • Education
      • Bright Ideas
    • Co-op Connections
    • WIRE
    • Close
  • Economic Development
    • Close
    • Available Economic Sites
    • Industrial Park
    • Close
  • Safety
    • Close
    • Storm Center
      • Outage Preparation
      • Power Restoration Guide
      • Hurricane Safety
      • After the Storm
      • Generator Safety
      • Emergency Kit
      • Lightning Safety
      • Tornado Safety
      • Winter Storm Safety
      • NOAA Weather Radio
    • Call 811 Before Digging
    • Power Lines
    • Right-of-Way Maintenance
    • Home Safety
      • Power Lines
      • Space Heater Safety
      • Generator Safety
      • Carbon Monoxide
    • Safety Tips for Kids
    • Close
  • Energy Solutions
    • Close
    • Electric Vehicles
    • H2O Select
    • Beat the Peak
    • Green Power
    • Together We Save
    • EnergyWorks Home Tour
    • Energy Calculators
    • Rebates & Incentives
    • Close
  • About Us
    • Close
    • Co-op Principles
    • Service Area
    • Board of Trustees
    • Capital Credits
      • Unclaimed Refunds
    • History
    • Bylaws
    • Mission & Values
    • Employment
    • Close
  • News
    • Close
    • News Archive
    • Scam Alert
    • South Carolina Living
    • Media Inquires
    • Close

Tree trimming improves service

July 1, 2022

A crew uses a Jaraff (pronounced “giraffe”) side trimming machine to create a clear path for power lines in Heath Springs.

While the area LREC serves is fortunate to have a bounty of trees, one of the top ways the co-op keeps members’ rates affordable is through its rights-of-way vegetation management program.

“LREC must ensure a reliable power supply by keeping power lines clear in rights-of-way,” says Brian Broughton, president & CEO. “Rights-of-way maintenance is one of our most expensive costs. But if trees grow too close to power lines, the potential for expensive repairs also increases.”

Rights-of-way maintenance enables the co-op to provide clearance from trees and other obstructions that could hinder power line installation, maintenance, or operation. Rights-of­ way are typically on public lands or located near a business or home. Strategic tree trimming reduces the frequency of downed lines causing power outages. Generally, healthy trees don’t fall on power lines, and clear lines don’t cause problems. Proactive trimming and pruning keep lines clear to promote reliability.

LREC puts the safety of members and its linemen above all else. If tree limbs are touching power lines, they can pose grave danger. For example, a child could potentially climb into a danger zone. Electricity also can arc or jump from a power line to a nearby conductor like a tree. Vegetation management diminishes the chances of fallen branches or trees during severe weather events that make it more complicated and dangerous for linemen to restore power.

“Our community is a special place,” Broughton says. “Through vegetation management, we are better able to keep the power lines clear, prepare for future weather events, and secure the reliability of the grid.”

NOTE: LREC recognizes that members are sometimes concerned about the time it takes before debris is removed after tree trimming. Attention is given to remove debris that may block a drive. However, it may take up to a week or more before clean-up of the entire area is complete. Broughton says available manpower is often the issue. “We will get vegetation removed as soon as possible,” Broughton says. “We ask that members please be patient.”

Category iconNewsroom

Recent News

  • Announcing our new logo and look
  • Be mindful of peak demand, save money
  • Above and beyond

We need your phone number

When you call to report an outage, the automated outage reporting system identifies the location of the outage by your home phone number. For the outage reporting system to work efficiently, we need your phone number.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Footer

Lynches River Electric

707 South Arant Street
Pageland, SC 29728
Get Directions
(843) 672-6111
info@lynchesriver.com
Mo,Tu,We,Th 8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Fr 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Apple App Store LogoGoogle Play App Store Logo

Member Services

Billing & Payments
Your Account
Update Your Info
New Service
Stop/Transfer Service
Community
Contact Us

Outages & Storms

Report an Outage
Storm Center
Outage Preparation
Power Restoration

Safety

Call 811 Before Digging
Electrical Safety
Emergency Kit

Saving Energy & Money

Energy Tips
Energy Solutions
Green Power
EnergyWorks Home Tour

Translate

Copyright © 2023 Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Inc. | Site by Cooperative Inc.
Contact | Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Bylaws | Sitemap
Employee Email