Never attempt to trim trees near power lines yourself

Only our certified line clearance arborists can work near power lines.

Neither you nor anyone you contract should attempt this work. Our primary concern is your safety and we will work hand-in-hand with you to ensure the work gets done safely.

If you need to remove a tree or part of a tree that is close to power lines, please contact us, and we will determine if it is safe for you or your contractor.

Observe the 10-foot Rule

If you want to remove a tree or any part of it that is closer than 10 feet to a power line, please contact us prior to performing any work. When you contact us, we will visit your site and inspect the line at no charge and determine if is safe for you to proceed, or we may determine that we need to assist you by making it safe for you to complete your work.

Making tree work safe

• Service lines: Homeowners are responsible for trimming trees to prevent them from growing into service lines. These wires are more resistant to tree contact and only need attention if branches prevent the wire from hanging freely. Before you or your contractor trim or remove trees close to service lines (pole-to-home wires), call to ask us to turn off the power. We turn off electricity temporarily and restore it when your work is complete -- at no charge to you.  

• Primary lines: Primary lines (pole-to-pole wires) cannot be removed from service temporarily because they serve many customers. In these cases, we have our tree trimming contractor trim your tree only to make it safe. Once safe, our work stops, and you or your contractor take over. Note: Our make-safe work can generate large amounts of wood and brush. You should plan for handling this material when you take over the remainder of the work. We recommend that our trimming be scheduled in close coordination with yours to minimize the time that the brush and wood remain on your property.  

• Telephone and cable lines: Telephone companies and cable companies maintain their lines even when they are on our poles. Please contact your telephone or cable company for tree conflicts or assistance with phone and cable wires. They are generally the lowest covered wires on the pole.

Clearances for underground service equipment
Newer developments typically have underground electric service coming from a green transformer box. If you want to surround the box with a fence or shrubs, you must maintain safe and easy access for our maintenance work. To help us avoid removing or damaging your landscaping, make sure you have a clearance of 3 feet on each side of our equipment and 10 feet to the front (where the lock is located). Placement diagram from electric service standards book (Figure V-1) PDF.

Contracting your tree trimming or removal work
We recommend the use of professionals for extensive tree trimming and tree removal. When you contract a tree service, check its topping policy and whether the contractor is certified. If the contractor recommends topping, consider getting a second opinion as this practice is harmful to the tree and weakens it significantly. Check for certification with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or your local Better Business Bureau.

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Page last updated: Monday, October 24, 2011