The wider regional benefits of power grids improved resilience through tree-trimming operations evidences from Connecticut, USA

Tree-trimming operations (TTOs) are expensive, yet popular management practices for increasing power-grid reliability. In this work, we investigate and identify the relationship between TTOs and power outages and quantify the regional economic benefits TTOs provide in the three years following these...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy 2020-03, Vol.138, p.1-11, Article 111293
Main Authors: Graziano, Marcello, Gunther, Peter, Gallaher, Adam, Carstensen, Fred V., Becker, Brian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Economic analysis
Economic modelling
Economic models
Electric power
Electricity
Energy policy
Outages
Power
Regional development
Reliability
REMI
Resilience
Savings
Trimming
Vegetation management
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Summary:Tree-trimming operations (TTOs) are expensive, yet popular management practices for increasing power-grid reliability. In this work, we investigate and identify the relationship between TTOs and power outages and quantify the regional economic benefits TTOs provide in the three years following these operations. Our data focus on a portion of Connecticut, for 2009–2015. We find that even a limited application of TTOs reduce outages substantially. We combine this result with an advanced economic model to estimate the benefits to the state. We find that this reduction in outages translates in to considerable savings for the state's economy, justifying expansion of TTOs. •We investigate the effects of tree-trimming of power grid on Connecticut's economy.•We use a unique dataset of outages and powerlines.•We find pervasive benefits throughout the economy.•Tree-trimming is expensive but return is positive.•Extreme events are very costly if not tree-trimming implemented.
ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111293