University of West Florida students are helping Florida Power & Light Company reshape how it manages vegetation near power lines, one of the leading causes of outages in the state.
- Through a senior capstone program, engineering and computer science students at UWF were given multiple years of light detection and ranging, or LiDAR, data from FPL and asked to build models that predict how quickly trees and other vegetation grow near the utility’s infrastructure. FPL has launched similar partnerships with the University of Miami and Auburn University.
“These students are the analytical engine behind the work,” said Tiffani Rodriguez, lead project manager in operations services. “They’re working with real FPL data and tackling real operational challenges.”
Each year, FPL conducts a statewide LiDAR collection that captures 50,000 miles of data along its power lines, producing a three-dimensional view of vegetation and its proximity to overhead equipment. The data allows arborists to assess conditions across the system without walking every mile of line.
“Work that once took months to patrol can now be planned in hours,” said Erin Schreck, vegetation operations lead for FPL’s east region. “That allows us to focus our field time where it matters most.”
Vegetation trimming has traditionally followed three- and six-year cycles. Schreck said that while cycle-based trimming remains the most effective current approach, improved technology is allowing FPL to more accurately predict how quickly vegetation grows across Florida’s varied landscapes.
“Fast growing species like palms or bamboo don’t always align neatly with a fixed trimming cycle,” Schreck said. “Some areas could benefit from attention sooner, while others may not pose the same level of risk.”
Schreck said the student collaborations have prompted the vegetation management team to reexamine its processes, including whether to group work by circuit or by growth rate. Traditionally, FPL trims an entire circuit, but the student-built growth model may allow for a more sectionalized approach based on localized tree growth rates.
Students are also examining how environmental factors such as rainfall influence growth rates.
“If we can identify the drivers behind growth patterns, we can build stronger predictive models,” Schreck said. “That allows us to plan maintenance earlier and more strategically.”
The long-term goal is a shift from cycle-based trimming to a predictive, risk-based approach that targets high-growth, high-risk areas earlier.
“By layering vegetation forecasts with customer reliability data, we can focus resources where they’ll have the greatest impact,” Schreck said. “That means fewer vegetation-related outages and more proactive maintenance.”
For Rodriguez, the partnerships serve a dual purpose.
“These collaborations allow FPL to explore innovative ideas while also developing the next generation of talent,” she said. “Students gain hands-on experience working with real data on critical infrastructure, and FPL benefits from fresh perspectives and innovation.”
