From rural backroads to growing communities, vegetation crews across Arkansas are working long hours to clear a path for reliable power. This is part of Entergy Arkansas’s Next Generation Arkansas vision to provide Better Power for its customers with an initial goal to reduce power outages by at least 30% over the coming years.

“The more vegetation that we mitigate, the less outages our customers see,” said Robert White, transmission and distribution vegetation supervisor at Entergy Arkansas.

That mission is driving a massive, coordinated effort statewide. Crews are working six ten-hour days using a variety of tools—including mowers, bucket trucks, climbing crews, mechanical equipment and aerial saws—to maintain safe clearance around power lines.

In rural areas, teams rely on specialized equipment like the Jarraff, while aerial saws are deployed for the tallest and most difficult jobs.

“We have multiple tools for vegetation work,” White said. “Each one plays a role in helping us do the job safely and efficiently.”

This year’s plan includes trimming approximately 5,500 miles of distribution lines and treating another 8,000 miles to prevent vegetation from growing back too quickly. The results are already making a difference.

“Earlier this year during our ice storm, we saw very few outages,” White said. “That’s because we have a team executing a plan and they understand the importance of reliability.”

Reducing vegetation doesn’t just keep the lights on—it also reduces risks for the crews restoring power when outages do occur.

“When we have an outage, we are calling line crews out,” White said. “Mitigating vegetation limits their exposure to hazards.”

The work is carefully managed, with contractors following strict standards and proper pruning techniques to protect tree health while maintaining safety. Customers are also kept informed every step of the way through proactive communication efforts, including door-to-door outreach and automated notifications. Entergy Arkansas crews place a strong emphasis on thoroughly cleaning up debris after trimming to leave properties safe and orderly.

“At the end of the day, customers want power,” White said. “Vegetation management is critical to keep the lights on in our communities.”

From the ground to the sky, every cut made is part of a larger mission: delivering safer, more reliable power for Arkansas.