News Releases

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 19, 2025) – To help prevent power outages and enhance public safety, Rhode Island Energy (RIE) will trim trees and clear vegetation along 1,200 miles through April 2026 thanks to recent approval from the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC).

RIE’s vegetation management program trims trees and clears vegetation away from over 6,000 miles of power lines across the state, rotating through municipalities every three to five years.

The municipalities that will be affected during this timeframe will include Woonsocket, North Smithfield, Burrillville, Lincoln, Cumberland, Providence, East Providence, Johnston, Cranston, Foster, Scituate, Warwick, West Warwick, East Greenwich, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Richmond, and Westerly.

“Our vegetation management program is one way that Rhode Island Energy plans ahead to reduce the number of power outages,” said Rhode Island Energy President Greg Cornett. “We are committed to delivering safe and reliable energy for Rhode Islanders. By trimming trees near our power lines, we resolve problems before they can cause a power outage, especially during severe storms.”

Clearing vegetation from power lines improves safety, reducing the risk of fire hazards, especially in remote regions of the state. RIE partners with the Rhode Island Tree Council to educate residents with power lines on their property about proper places to plant trees or trim vegetation.

Meaningful community impact to Rhode Island

RIE also gives back to the community through its vegetation management program.

In the past year, the energy company donated wood chips to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island to help with their pollinator habitat in Cumberland. Annually, RIE sponsors “National Volunteer Day” for Saluting Branches in September and donates its time to maintain veterans’ cemeteries across the state. RIE also helped to create a safe walking area for American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) staff and their dogs.

“Our vegetation management program is run by employees who understand the unique dynamics of Rhode Island,” Cornett added. “They schedule the tree trimming at times that make sense. For example, we aren’t going to trim trees in Newport during the height of tourism season. Instead, we work with community leaders to plan it for the winter. What I especially love about our vegetation management program is that it is a tangible and clear way that we are strengthening our communities and ensuring reliable service for a better, cleaner and smarter future.”

Residents in communities affected by the vegetation management program will be notified in advance of the tree trimming.

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About Rhode Island Energy

Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to over 770,000 customers across Rhode Island through the delivery of electricity or natural gas. Our team of more than 1,300 employees is dedicated to helping Rhode Island customers and communities thrive, while supporting the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient, and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions. For more information visit www.RIEnergy.com and stay connected on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.