Wildfire Hardening & Mitigation
Each year, Truckee Donner Public Utility District takes on projects will benefit our community by mitigating wildfire, increasing community safety and improving TDPUD’s system reliability. Below are some of the examples of how TDPUD prioritizes community safety in its electric operations.
Gridware Installation
In March 2026, Truckee Donner PUD installed a new technology to a section of its power poles, which will assist in improving the reliability and safety of the electric system.
Line sensors combine various sensing technologies that provide continuous, real-time monitoring of physical, electrical, structural and environmental conditions surrounding electric equipment, even during outages. In 2026, TDPUD will be installing Gridscope line sensors in the neighborhoods of Prosser Lakeview, Prosser Lake Heights, Coachland/Village Camp, West End Donner Lake, South Shore Donner Lake and in a portion of Sierra Meadows.
This technology will help TDPUD both with quicker power restoration during outages and with wildfire hazard awareness.
During a power outage, linemen need to patrol the power lines to search for the cause of the outage before they can begin work to fix the issue and restore power. This equipment will help our line crews identify outage causes more quickly and restore power faster.
Real-time monitoring of our power lines and electric infrastructure will also help keep our community safer from wildfire ignitions. If a tree branch was to make contact with a power line, TDPUD would receive an alert, and crews could be dispatched to evaluate the issue and potentially prevent damage before it occurs.
Having this insight and ability to detect issues earlier will make our electric system both safer and more reliable. To learn more about line sensing technology and how it will benefit our community, see the below FAQ.
Gridscope FAQ
In March 2026, Truckee Donner PUD installed a new technology to a section of its power poles, which will assist in improving the reliability and safety of the electric system.
What are line sensors?
Line sensors combine technologies that provide continuous, real-time monitoring of physical, electrical, structural, and environmental conditions surrounding overhead electric equipment, even during outages.
How do line sensors work?
The line sensors that TDPUD is installing, called Gridscope, use real-time monitoring and analytics to equip line crews with accurate information identifying the exact type, location, and severity of hazards before they are dispatched.
These devices run on solar power with batteries, so they are always on even during an outage, and are built to withstand the elements. They can relay data even in remote areas by using a combination of device-to-device, cellular, and satellite communications.
This equipment identifies faults and hazards through mechanical, environmental, optical, and electromagnetic sensors that monitor and evaluate 14 different data points.
Why is this equipment being installed?
This technology will help TDPUD both with quicker power restoration during outages and with wildfire hazard awareness.
During a power outage, linemen need to patrol the power lines to search for the cause of the outage before they can begin work to fix the issue and restore power. This equipment will help our line crews identify outage locations and causes more quickly and restore power faster.
Real-time monitoring of our power lines and electric infrastructure will also help keep our community safer from wildfire ignitions. If a tree branch was to make contact with a power line, TDPUD would receive an alert, and crews could be dispatched to evaluate the issue and potentially prevent damage before it occurs.
Having this insight and ability to detect issues earlier will make our electric system both safer and more reliable, which has great benefit for our community
Where are line sensors being installed?
To start, these line sensors are being installed in the neighborhoods of Prosser Lakeview, Prosser Lake Heights, Coachland/Village Camp, West End Donner Lake, South Shore Donner Lake and in a portion of Sierra Meadows. If we see success with this initial pilot program, we may opt to install more line sensors across TDPUD electric distribution system.
How many line sensors are being installed?
We will be installing 376 line sensors and 8 weather stations on 820 poles during this pilot program.
Why is it being installed in these areas?
We have determined that these are beneficial areas to install line sensors due to the high wildfire danger ratings, the frequency of outages, and the configuration of the power lines in these neighborhoods.
How do line sensors gather data?
Gridscope line sensors gather data via a monitoring array that incorporates 14 different sensors:
- Mechanical sensors: measuring vibration, acceleration, tilt, and acoustics
- Environmental sensors: measuring temperature, pressure, humidity, and volatile organic compounds
- Optical sensors: infrared sensors, visible light sensors, and cameras
- Electromagnetic sensors: measuring E-field, H-field, and voltage gradient
Gridscope sensor data is proprietary to TDPUD and is only used to monitor, maintain, and restore the electric distribution system.
What company supplies these line sensors?
Gridscope line sensors are supplied by Gridware, who are working with dozens of electric utilities in California and the Western U.S. To learn more about Gridware, visit their website: www.gridware.io
Overhead Infrastructure Hardening
In 2026, TDPUD crews will be continuing the system hardening work they began in a pilot program last fall. This work will include replacing wood power poles and traditional powerlines with metal poles, composite fiberglass crossarms and insulated powerlines. This work will occur on a section of Northwoods between Fjord Rd and Davos Dr. In April, TDPUD line crews will be working intermittently in the area. Beginning May 4, 2026, TDPUD has contracted VIP Powerline Corp. to join TDPUD crews to support and accelerate this important work. This work will continue through early summer.
Vegetation Management
Truckee Donner Public Utility District has invested heavily in wildfire mitigation and vegetation management. Vegetation removal is now TDPUD's largest expenditure, outside of purchasing power. A top priority for us is keeping our community safe. Knowing the wildfire risks that electric equipment carry, we work strategically to reduce the chances of our equipment starting a wildfire.
Part of this involves trimming and removing trees in the right of way of our electric system. These safety standards are mandated by the State of California, in an attempt to help reduce the risk of fire from incidental contact between tree branches and overhead high voltage power lines. A downstream benefit of this work is increased system reliability, resulting in fewer outages for TDPUD customers over the last few years, both in the summer and winter.
We understand how important trees are to our community. Therefore, TDPUD and our contractor will make every effort to work with property owners to reach a mutually-beneficial agreement about the proposed trimming. The contractor who performs this work is required to employ a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture.
In 2026, TDPUD’s contracted tree crews will be conducting routine tree trimming along the southern section of Northwoods Blvd, between Davos Dr. and the intersection of Northwoods and Northwoods. This work is expected to continue through the summer. This work will be done by P31 Enterprises. This proactive effort helps prepare the area for upcoming system hardening improvements, which will enhance safety and reliability for the community.
2022 TDPUD Vegetation Management Wildfire Prep Flyer
2022 TDPUD Vegetation Management Wildfire Prep Flyer 2022 TDPUD Vegetation Management Plan
Important Safety Points
Look up and live! Watch for overhead power lines when moving ladders or tools.
Need to prune or remove a tree? Call before you dig to mark underground utilities or to schedule a service disconnect.
Inspect your trees in the fall, before winter weather sweeps in. Survey them again after any hard wind, ice, or snowstorm
Don't let children play in trees near power lines. Even if a tree is not touching the lines, a child's weight on a branch can bring it into contact with live wires.
Tree Trimming Program Information
Truckee Donner Public Utility District owns and maintains about 136 miles of overhead power lines and our Vegetation Management Program is an integral part of its maintenance program.
Safety is a top priority for TDPUD, and trimming trees plays a significant role in mitigating wildfire risk and providing safe, reliable service to your home and business.
Trees growing into power lines present hazards including the risk of wildfire or power outages due to tree contact.
Truckee Donner Public Utility District is required by law to maintain certain clearances around power lines.
Contact Customer Service
If you find trees that need to be trimmed, contact Customer Service at (530) 587-3896. Please do not attempt to trim trees that are near power lines yourself. Doing so, can put you at a serious risk of injury.