Tree Trimming

TREES AND POWER LINES JUST DON'T MIX

We all appreciate trees. Trees not only beautify homes and property, they can lower utility bills if correctly sited. But care must be taken with trees near power lines.

Northeastern REMC maintains nearly 1000 miles of overhead high voltage electric lines throughout its six county service area in portions of Allen, Whitley, Huntington, Noble, Wabash and Kosciusko counties. A majority of our power lines are within wooded areas, requiring some type of vegetation management. This consists of trimming, re-clearing, or both, to maintain safe, uninterrupted service to you and your neighbors.

Every year power outages and blinks are caused by storms and strong winds that bring trees or limbs in contact with lines. In a matter of seconds, power could be out for thousands of members.  Restoring power is very expensive. Tree trimming is one of the most expensive maintenance programs Northeastern REMC conducts.  It is important to allow Northeastern trim or even cut down trees near primary power lines and within easements if needed.  If you have a tree that is near a power line that you want trimmed or cut down, call (260)244-6111 or (260)625-3700 to arrange a time for us to come out and see if we can assist you with the project. Do NOT attempt to trim trees yourself that are growing near distribution lines or your service line. Doing so can put you at risk of deadly shock.

WHY DO WE TRIM OR REMOVE TREES?

Our desire for trees and demand for reliable electricity can sometimes cause controversy when right-of-ways must be cleared to ensure safety and continuous power to our members. This information is intended to help you better understand necessary maintenance procedures of our right-of-ways and answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding trimming and re-clearing of right-of-ways and removal of trees in or near Northeastern REMC’s overhead high voltage electric lines.

Trees are recognized for their tremendous contribution to our environment. Unfortunately, trees growing in the wrong place have the potential to threaten the reliability of your electric service. Not only is each tree different because of site conditions and genetic variations, each tree is changing and growing constantly throughout its lifetime. The problem is not one of managing a single, ever-changing tree, but managing a population of tens of thousands of trees.

It should be noted that trees and branches cause over 60% of the outages and momentary blinks that interrupt service on our system. Trees growing in and around electric facilities can cause electrical faults and impede access to facilities when emergency or routine repairs are required. Trees also provide an environment conducive to squirrels and raccoons, which are other common causes of electric service interruptions.

Most important, however, is the safety of the general public, REMC employees, and contract employees who may be compromised by trees too close to energized equipment and lines.

NEW OVERHEAD FACILITIES

We start with a clear path when we run new electric lines to an area. Trees in the path are removed, underbrush is cleared and nearby trees are trimmed so there is adequate clearance for the line. Not only is it the cooperative’s responsibility to clear the path at the time of new line construction, it is also our responsibility to keep the path clear, trim trees and remove trees away from high voltage lines.

When a new line is built, permission and easement rights have been granted for the line to be placed in its location. This easement allows us entrance on the property to maintain and keep the energized equipment and lines clear and safe. With the passing of time and change in property ownership this important fact is sometimes forgotten.

MAINTENANCE TRIMMING AND RE-CLEARING

We maintain a year-round vegetation management program. This means that we are constantly trimming and removing trees under power lines in our ongoing effort to make your electric service as reliable as possible. For safety and electric service reliability, Northeastern REMC routinely trims and occasionally removes trees growing within a minimum eight feet radius of overhead power lines. We also trim trees back to at least six feet below the lowest primary wire on the pole. This work is contracted out and performed by certified utility line clearance specialists.

Winter months can prove very challenging to our crews due to the number of ice storms we receive in northeast Indiana. Not all storm related outages can be prevented (i.e. heavy ice-laden lines will fall; vehicles will slide into and break poles, etc.) but we can certainly minimize the damage by keeping the right-of-ways clear. So when you see right-of-way crews out working in warm weather months, please remember their work will help keep your power on during winter disasters.

TREE TRIMMING IN YOUR AREA

Northeastern REMC or a representative of the company contracted to perform the work will make every attempt to notify you before work is done on your property. If no one is at home at the time of notification, a door hanger will be left at your residence notifying you who the clearing contractor will be, when work will begin, and what type work needs to be done. We will also post trimming schedules in our newsletter, the Light Post, and on our website – www.nremc.com.

When trimming is required, every attempt will be made to do so with an eye for symmetry and the natural shape of the tree. This may not always be possible due to the proximity of the tree to energized equipment or lines, or the specie of the tree.

When trimming and re-clearing is performed, please be aware that the higher the voltage of a line or equipment is - the greater the clearance and distance is maintained.
Depending on the tree’s specific type, condition, and location to energized equipment or lines, it may become necessary to remove a tree totally rather than to continue an on-going trimming procedure.

As trees age they may pose a direct danger if they would fall into electric lines or equipment. These trees would include, but not be limited to, dead, weak, split, cracked, leaning, hollow or uprooted trees. Every attempt will be made to identify these trees and eliminate the possibility of interruption to electric service. Should you notice a potentially dangerous looking tree, please contact us as soon as possible.
The maintenance, trimming, re-clearing or removal of trees that is required to safeguard electric lines and equipment on your property will be done at no cost to you.

SELECT THE RIGHT TREE OR BUSH

We encourage property owners to plant power friendly trees near power lines. These are low growing, so your property won’t be the cause of power outages for you and your neighbors, and still be attractive.

When planting near power lines, choose trees that will grow no taller than 25 feet at maturity. You will find a list of suggested trees below. These trees give you the options for spring and fall color, tree shape and size, and fruit. Also, check with your local landscape nursery for help in selecting the right tree. They may have further suggestions for you based on our climate.

We also discourage landscaping around our transformers. Please keep a 10 feet area clear around the transformer to allow easy access by Northeastern crews. In case of outages and other emergencies, this can greatly affect the speed of power restoration. Northeastern is not responsible for replacing landscaping removed or damaged while attempting access to a transformer.

CHECK BEFORE YOU DIG

Power lines run underground as well as overhead- natural gas lines do, too. Please call before you do any digging or planting of trees.  Call 811 to have all of your utility lines, including electric located. Please call at least four days before you plan on any digging to allow them enough time to mark your property. Making this call could save your life.

POWER FRIENDLY TREES

You can help us by taking a “power friendly” approach in landscaping your property. Choose the right tree, plant it in the right spot, and maintain it – it’s very easy!

Listed below are some suggested trees if you plan on planting anywhere near power lines:

Small –
Pinon Pine, Flowering Crab, Purple Leaf Plum, New Mexico Olive, Dwarf and Semi Dwarf Fruit Trees, Hawthorn, Vitex

Medium –
(Plant medium growth trees minimum 15’ from lines)
Flowering Pears, Goldenrain Tree, Chitalpa, Imose, Austrian Pine, Dogwood

Tall – (Plant tall growth trees minimum 25’ from lines)
Ponderosa Pine, Cottonwood, Mulberry, Sycamore, Willows, Catalpa, Ash, Poplar, Spruce/Fir, Locust, Elm, Redbud , Oak