Think Power-Friendly When Planting Trees
Trees beautify homes and property, but care should be taken when planting trees near power lines.
Each year, power outages are caused by storms that bring trees or limbs down on lines. You can help minimize outages by taking a “power friendly” approach to landscaping our property.
- Small Tree Zone: Trees maturing under 25 feet in height may be planted adjacent to overhead power lines.
- Medium Tree Zone: Trees maturing from 25 to 35 feet in height must be planted at least 25 feet away from overhead power lines.
- Large Tree Zone: Trees maturing over 35 feet in height must be planted at least 50 feet away from overhead power lines.
Power-Friendly Tree Examples
| Tree | Species | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Montmorency Cherry | Prunus cerasus | 8 feet to 15 feet |
| Royal Purple Smoke bush | Cotinus coggygria | 12 feet to 15 feet |
| Tatarian Maple | Acer tataricum | 15 feet to 20 feet |
| Amur Maple | Acer ginnala | 16 feet to 20 feet |
| Kousa Dogwood | Cornus florida | 20 feet to 25 feet |
| Golden Chain Tree | Laburnum anagyroides | 20 feet to 25 feet |
| Japanese Snowbell Tree | Styrax japonicas | 20 feet to 25 feet |
| Chinese Plum Yew | Cephalotaxus fortune | 25 feet to 30 feet |
The Clear Zone for Underground Facilities
It is necessary for our employees to quickly locate these facilities and have sufficient space to perform work. Do not place objects, plants, shrubbery, or trees in the “Clear Zone.” Our standard for clear zones regarding pad-mounted equipment is 10 feet from any part of the equipment that opens and 3 feet from non-opening parts of the equipment.