Transforming Vegetation Management: Leveraging Remote Sensing and Workflow Technology for Smarter Decision-Making

As utilities face shrinking vegetation management budgets, the pressure to adopt new technologies—from satellites and AI to machine learning and predictive modeling—has never been greater. But with an overwhelming number of pilot programs, trials, and evolving technologies, how can utilities determine the right approach to implementation?

This session will tackle key questions utilities are facing today:

• Does remote sensing work? How accurate is satellite data, and how can it be effectively utilized?
• What data is needed for predictive outage modeling, risk modeling, and prioritizing vegetation management within annual cycles?
• Does condition-based trimming work? What are the long-term implications?
• How can utilities structure a technology implementation roadmap to maximize efficiency and cost savings?

At the core of any successful implementation is a comprehensive workflow management system, which enables utilities to:

• Capture, store, and analyze key data to improve decision-making.
• Assign, plan, and track vegetation management work more efficiently.
• Seamlessly integrate new technologies for improved forecasting, risk assessment, and operational execution.

This session will feature insights from Wild Rice Electric Cooperative, which conducted a System Assessment using remote sensing technology to gain a complete picture of vegetation across its network. Attendees will learn why this foundational step was critical, how it set the stage for workflow management system implementation, and how data-driven strategies can reduce costs, improve production, and enhance overall grid reliability.

Join us to explore how a structured, data-first approach to vegetation management can optimize resources, enhance reliability, and drive long-term operational success.