While trees and shrubs can help save energy and beautify your property, they don't always go well with power lines. However, with proper planning, many of the potential problems can be avoided so that you can enjoy energy-saving trees along with safe, reliable electric service.

Before You Dig

Ready to plant or remove a tree? Before you break ground, make sure you're clear of all underground utility lines running through your property. If you disrupt an underground electric or natural gas line, either from digging a hole or pulling out a tree stump, you run the risk of serious accident, injury or costly property damage. To avoid the risk of disturbing essential utility service and incurring an expensive repair bill, call 811 before you dig.

Planting Below the Power Line

Choose short trees that will not reach the lines when they grow to maturity. The distance between the ground and the power line will vary, depending on the height at which lines are attached to poles and the degree to which they sag. A good rule of thumb is to select trees whose mature height is less than 20 feet.

Planting Beside the Power Line

Choose medium sized trees, 25-35 feet tall. Plant these trees at a distance away from the power line at least equal to their maximum crown radius (half the width of the tree at its widest point). If you must use taller trees, select a species that has an upright branching habit and a narrow crown. These larger trees should be planted at a distance away from power lines which is greater than the maximum crown radius. Avoid trees with weak wood, such as poplars and willows, because their limbs break easily during storms.

Planting Around Pad-Mounted Transformers

If you have a three-foot square green metal box in your yard, your instinct may be to conceal it with shrubbery. That could be a mistake. This box, called a pad-mounted transformer, contains important electrical equipment that supplies your neighborhood with underground electric service.

• Obstructing it would cause difficulty in gaining access to our equipment and slow down our work in restoring electrical service. Maintain a safe zone, shrubs and structures must be at least 10 feet from the front door and 3 feet from the remaining three sides.
• There's high voltage wiring underground leading to the box, and if you or a landscaper digs in the wrong spot, you run the risk of serious accident or injury. For help in locating underground facilities, always call before you dig.
• Finally, don't change the ground levels around the green box. For maintenance work and speedy service restoration, our crews must have unobstructed access to our electrical equipment at all times. We are not responsible for the replacement or restoration of landscaping that hinders access to our electrical equipment.

Planting along Transmission Line Rights-of-Way

Tree planting and clearance requirements along transmission line rights-of-way are more stringent than those used for distribution lines. Only grass and low-growing vegetation is allowed on the right-of-way. Use these guidelines for maximum tree height for fully grown trees, based on distance from transmission line rights-of-way.