Maintaining Energy, preserving the forest
The infrastructures that make up the public service electricity networks are endowed with public utility and are part of the concessions granted to E-REDES. At the different voltage levels (low, medium and high voltage), safety regulations determine that E-REDES has the duty to maintain and ensure the conservation of the electricity lines, based on regular and methodical inspection, appropriate for monitoring compliance with safety distances, within the protection zone.
Whenever such inspections detect a situation of non-compliance with the safety distances of power lines in relation to vegetation, E-REDES alerts the owners, since they have a duty to ensure that the trees on their land do not interfere with the operation of the power lines, supporting their intervention if needed to enable safety.
However, there are situations of imminent danger that require immediate action to restore the safety of people and property and that lead E-REDES to intervene urgently.
Use the E-REDES app and identify situations where there is vegetation in the vicinity that may jeopardise the safety of the electrical network.
Forest Fire Protection: one duty, several targets
Forest spaces, as land occupied by forest, brush, and pasture or other spontaneous vegetation formations, occupy a significant part of the national territory. Their careful and judicious management is essential for the safety, welfare and protection of the population.
In the scope of the National Forest Fire Defence System, E-REDES has the duty to create fuel management lanes next to high and medium voltage power lines, in strategic locations previously defined in the Municipal Plans for Forest Fire Defence, and the owner is obliged to allow access to the property.
Innovation at everyone's service
The development of innovative solutions has been, along with action in the field, one of the priorities of E-REDES.
We highlight some of the main initiatives:
Thermographic inspection of power lines to detect hot spots through helicopter flights;
Land occupation survey for incorporation into the technical information system;
Aerial measurement of the distance between power lines and vegetation using laser technology incorporated in the helicopter;
Inspection of safety distances using drones;
Predictive intervention algorithm.
This year more than 240 trees have already fallen on the power lines
Most of the situations occurred due to the fragility of the trees, resulting from disease or past fires.
" Learn more here.
The search for best practices, with a view to the safety of electrical networks, forests and populations, should deserve the commitment of all, in a joint mission, namely Local Authorities, Civil Protection and Citizens.
Download the digital brochure and find out more about this topic.