Enel brings forward its summer plan for extreme heat: it will prune 22,000 trees and inspect 510 km of grid in Santiago

Enel Distribución has brought forward its summer plan for Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region ahead of forecasts of a summer with above-normal temperatures. Between September and November 2026 the distributor will inspect 510 kilometers of lines, prune or fell about 22,000 trees in risk areas by 30 November, and install 100 new remote-control devices, it told Revista Electricidad on 27 October.

The announcement coincided with the launch of the 2026-2027 Wildfire Protection Plan, led on the same day by President José Antonio Kast. The executive director of the forestry agency Conaf, Aída Baldini, warned that vegetation that grew with the winter rains will turn into fuel: "the green that, unfortunately, will become fuel for us", she said, according to La Tercera.

"We are getting ahead of a summer with above-average temperatures", said Pablo Palma, technical lead at Enel Distribución, who explained that the company is already carrying out measures that combine technological inspection, vegetation management and more grid automation.

The plan has two stages. The first, from September to November 2026, is preventive: line inspections, pruning and infrastructure reinforcement. The second, from December 2026 to February 2027, focuses on monitoring, preventive maintenance and grid management during the hottest days.

LiDAR is a laser system that builds a three-dimensional model of the grid and detects branches too close to the wires or components that need replacing. Thermal cameras spot equipment with abnormal temperatures invisible to the naked eye, which helps prioritize repairs before they fail. Remote-control devices let the grid be operated from the control center, to isolate a fault and restore supply without waiting for a crew to arrive.

• Replacement of low-voltage lines in priority areas.
• Renewal of distribution boxes.
• Replacement of medium-voltage spacers, to increase the distance between conductors.
• More transformer capacity, to handle higher electricity use during heat waves.

The company also reported regular coordination with the disaster agency Senapred, Conaf, firefighters and police, and wildfire prevention training at its Operational Excellence Center. Revista Electricidad did not report the investment amount. Other regions are preparing too: in Los Ríos, utilities will invest 651 million pesos in preventive plans, as we reported in this story on the SEC's oversight).

The summer plan covers fewer kilometers than the winter one. In April 2026, Enel launched its winter plan with 350 new remote-control devices, on top of more than 3,600 existing ones, drone and LiDAR inspections on more than 1,300 km of lines, more than 60,000 preventive prunings coordinated with municipalities and more than 350 crews in the field, according to Radio Agricultura. For summer 2025-2026, the company had announced more than 70,000 field activities with 20 specialized teams.

The 2026 winter put those lines to the test. October's cold fronts left more than one hundred thousand customers without power across the country, and the regulator SEC demanded contingency plans from distributors. If you had a long outage, our guide to power cuts and compensation explains how to file a claim.

The risk to the grid in summer is not only heat, which raises consumption and strains transformers and cables. Wildfires can force lines to be switched off, and electrical installations themselves can start fires if vegetation is nearby. That is why pruning is concentrated before December.

The 2026-2027 national wildfire plan includes 319 Conaf brigades with 3,778 firefighters, 77 aircraft, 396 detection resources (towers, lookout posts and cameras), 26 night brigades from Coquimbo to Magallanes and a target of 7,200 km of firebreaks. Forestry companies add 338 brigades with 3,265 firefighters. From July until the launch there had been 186 wildfires affecting 271 hectares, and about 99.7% of wildfires in Chile are caused by people, according to La Tercera.

El Niño adds uncertainty. Generator Colbún, in its third-quarter report, cites the US NOAA, which projects with more than 83% probability a strong to very strong El Niño through the first quarter of 2027, with above-normal rainfall in south-central Chile until December. Kast, for his part, said Chile will probably have to ask for international help during the summer.

At home, heat also shows up on the bill. An air conditioner can be the appliance that uses the most power in summer; in our guide to how much an air conditioner uses we calculate the cost in Chilean pesos by power rating and hours of use.

A cheaper option for hot days is a fan, which draws a fraction of the power of an air conditioner. In our guide to how much a fan uses we compare the cost of pedestal, tower and ceiling fans in Chilean pesos.

What will Enel do before summer?

It will inspect 510 km of lines with LiDAR, thermal imaging and drones, prune or fell about 22,000 trees in risk areas by 30 November and install 100 remote-control devices, as well as replacing lines and reinforcing transformers.

What is remote control on the power grid?

Equipment that lets the grid be opened, closed and reconfigured remotely from a control center, to isolate a fault and restore power to some customers without waiting for a crew.

Why are trees near power lines pruned?

Because branches touching wires cause outages and can start fires. In summer, vegetation that grew after the rains increases that risk, according to Conaf.

Who should I tell if I see branches on power lines?

Your distributor, through its emergency channels. If the company does not respond, you can file a complaint with the Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels (SEC).