Nashville Electric Service (NES) doubled down on its position that the municipally owned power company increased its budget for tree trimming and vegetation management over the last four years in a late Thursday statement to The Tennessee Star, despite NES 2024 annual report, signed by CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin, which reflects a $7 million cut to tree trimming that helped drive a 6 percent reduction to operating expenses.
In response to a Tuesday press inquiry, a spokesman stated, “NES targets roughly 1,200 miles of tree and vegetation trimming each year to ensure our 4,800 miles of aboveground power lines stay on a proper 3-4 year maintenance cycle.”
NES stated, “Since 2022, we have averaged 75% completion of this goal, while accounting for factors such as necessary vendor changes, variable weather and terrain difficulty.”
The spokesman did not acknowledge the NES annual report for 2024, which showed actual spending by NES on tree trimming decreased to $13.9 million from more than $21 million in 2023.
NES told The Star, “The trimming budget has increased every year for the past four years, with more than $21 million allocated to tree trimming this fiscal year. While we are currently on track to meet our goal for the year, we will reassess all aspects of tree trimming during our after action review process.”
When asked whether the company acknowledges the $7 million in cuts reflected in its 2024 report, a spokesman told The Star on Friday, “We’re looking into your request and will get back to you.”
The company has also yet to repdon to a Wednesday inquiry from The Star, which sought to obtain exact dollar amount budgeted for tree trimming expenses in 2026, as well as the total spent so far. NES’ fiscal year concludes in June, suggesting much of the “more than $21 million allocated” may have been spent.
NES also did not respond to questions from The Star that sought clarification on the “species specific trimming” Broyles-Aplin said is used to preserve Nashville’s tree canopy during an interview that appeared on NewsChannel 5 last August, and whether the company’s November audit was accurate, as it appeared to suggest an executive who retired weeks earlier was assigned responsibility for reliability issues caused by inadequate vegetation management.
Broyles-Aplin first appeared to contradict the 2024 annual report she signed in a video posted to the company’s social media on Monday, then during a Tuesday press conference, repeated without providing evidence that the company increased its budget for tree trimming over the past four years, even as reporters asked about the $7 million cut.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) suggested the slash to trimming was motivated by Broyles-Aplin’s views on the city’s canopy during a Wednesday speech on the Senate floor.
“But between 2023 and ’25, the utility’s leadership cut funding for tree trimming services by $7 million,” said Blackburn. “The reason? As the NES CEO told local media in August, and I’m quoting, ‘We care about the tree canopy. We have to live here too.’”
Blackburn ultimately called for those responsible for NES’ response to the storm, which left thousands of the company’s customers without power for more than a week, to be fired and replaced, to be fired and replaced.
The senator’s speech came shortly after U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) sent a letter to leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly, urging the lawmakers to take control of NES, dissolve its board, and conduct a thorough audit.
State House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) confirmed on Tuesday that he wanted to pursue firings after the response to Winter Storm Fern, and that the General Assembly would “explore every option available with the stance NES cannot stay the same.”
Five deaths have been attributed to the storm in Nashville.
– – –
Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “NES Workers” by NES.
