GeoDigital in conjunction with CN Utility Consulting, Inc. (CNUC) is offering a complete transmission vegetation management program compliance assessment designed to gauge the effectiveness of your transmission vegetation management program and ensure compliance with FAC-003 requirements.

This offering includes:

• Transmission Vegetation Management Program (TVMP) Review, Critique, and Recommendations
• NERC FAC-003-1 Compliance Evaluation—A review of key FAC-003 requirements
• NERC or RE Audit Readiness Assessment—Pre-audit
• Benchmarking to Validate Vegetation Management Practices
• Inspection Technique Effectiveness Evaluation
• Use of LiDAR to Evaluate Hazardous Vegetation

CN UTILITY CONSULTING INC

CNUC was founded to provide peerless consulting and training services to the electric utility vegetation management industry. With decades of experience, CNUC is likely the industry’s most qualified company to comment on all issues related to Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) programs, practices, and legal/regulatory requirements. CNUC has performed numerous UVM program reviews for utility companies across North America. CNUC also undertakes large-scale UVM benchmarking with over 50 utilities in North America, providing singular access to the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on current UVM practices and requirements. This ongoing effort (since 2002) is invaluable to many utility companies across North America.

CNUC’s understanding of legal and regulatory requirements comes from direct involvement with the development and/or interpretation of almost every major UVM standard in existence. CNUC has served on each of the NERC FAC-003 standards development committees, drafted language for the Uniform Fire Code, Urban Wildland Interface Code, and numerous state regulations such as California’s Rule 35. CNUC has also developed FERC’s Best Management Practices for transmission utility vegetation management and has been involved in the crafting of standards such as ANSI A300 and ISA Best Management Practice publications related specifically to UVM.

Comprehensive Program Review Includes: 

Transmission Vegetation Management Plan (TVMP) Review of existing TVMP document Critique and recommendation

Compliance  FAC-003 and applicable state laws NERC/RE document audit readiness

ROW Status Current ROW condition and identification of hazardous vegetation on selected areas LIDAR sampling of critical lines Sample of recently inspected/worked line Sample of line scheduled for work or inspection

Review of Vegetation Management Practices TVMP comparisons to industry standards TVMP comparisons to benchmarked practices and costs TVMP comparison to legal and regulatory requirements

Evaluate Current Inspection Procedures Inspection types Inspection cycles Documentation Audits

Ongoing Support for NERC/RE Audits  CNUC will provide onsite support before, during, and after any NERC/RE audits of FAC-003 requirements.

Product Sheet:  FAC-003 Stress Test & Compliance Audit