Confirm utility vegetation management compliance under NERC FAC-003

Steps

1. Confirm the currently active standard is NERC FAC-003-5 (Transmission Vegetation Management) before referencing requirements in a utility contract or compliance program.
2. Verify whether the applicable transmission facilities fall within FAC-003's voltage scope; note a 2026 NERC wildfire report proposed expanding coverage down to 100 kV from the prior 200 kV threshold, but confirm whether that expansion has been formally adopted before assuming lower-voltage lines are covered.
3. Review the utility's documented vegetation management plan, clearance criteria, and inspection cycle for alignment with FAC-003-5, since violations carry some of the highest average penalties of any non-CIP NERC standard.
4. Note the broader industry shift toward risk-based, data-driven vegetation prioritization (satellite/AI-assisted inspection) rather than fixed calendar trim cycles, especially in wildfire-prone regions.
5. Coordinate documentation practices with the utility's compliance team, as regulators are tightening documentation expectations following high-profile vegetation-related outages and ignitions.