Right Tree, Right Place

Smart planting today helps prevent outages tomorrow

Planting the right tree in the right place is a simple way to keep your yard looking great while also protecting your electric service. When trees or shrubs grow too close to power lines, they can cause outages, especially during storms. Selecting the right plant for the right spot helps prevent those issues before they start. We’re here to make it easy with guidance on which plants grow safely near power lines, how far to place taller trees away from lines and how to stay safe around electric equipment. For starters, check out our planting guide through the button below. A little planning today can help keep your landscape — and your power — reliable for years to come.

Planting and safety guidance for property owners 

There are a number of things to keep in mind when planting near power lines:

• Try to avoid planting trees near power lines whenever possible.
• When planting near power lines, always plant the right tree in the right place.
• Use our handy planting guide for recommended trees and shrubs near power lines.
• If you’re planting, be sure to call 811 at least three business days before digging to make sure the area is checked for underground utilities, including underground power lines.
• Tall-growing trees should always be planted at least 50 feet from power lines. Remember to not plant anything near neighborhood ground-mounted transformers.
• Leave tree pruning work near power lines to qualified professionals. Contact with power lines can cause serious injury or death.
• If you see our crews out working, please keep a safe distance.
• We don’t prune or remove trees beneath the service wire between your house and our utility poles. But we can de-energize the wire and lower it to the ground for work to be done. Call us at 1-800-342-5775 at least five business days in advance of the work.