With spring in the air, many of us will be planting trees and shrubs in an effort to re-vegetate areas damaged by the hurricanes of years past.  Several communities are making a concentrated effort in this regard.  Some have even received national recognition for their accomplishments.  The Board and employees of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative applaud these efforts.  

We would like to encourage homeowners and community committees to think, however, about planting only low growing species of trees under overhead power lines. (Click here to download a list of suggested trees) The safety of our members, our employees, and the reliability of the electric system depend on it.

Many power system blinks and outages are a direct result of tree limbs contacting overhead electric power lines.  In fact, history has shown us that approximately 85% of hurricane related outages are caused by trees coming into contact with the power lines.  Trees that brush against the lines can cause the lights to blink or can cause an extended power outage.

When a tree contacts a power line it can become energized and represents a very real safety hazard to the public.  Also, OSHA and the National Electrical Safety Code require that the power line right-of-way be kept clear of vegetation that could adversely affect safety and reliability.  This is why we have a right-of-way tree-trimming program.  A properly maintained right-of-way enhances safety and can save you, the member/owner, the aggravation of lost power, and the cost of rebuilding and repairing facilities damaged by fallen trees.

Tall growing species of trees should be planted so that no portion of the tree comes within 15 feet of an overhead line.  This will allow line crews to safely work on and maintain the line.  It also keeps the limbs out of the line during windy conditions.  This distance is increased to 50 feet for the higher voltage transmission lines.

In areas served by underground electric lines, remember to consider the location of existing pad-mounted transformers when planting shrubs or installing lawn decorations.  A minimum of ten feet of clearance is needed from the front of these devices and three feet from the sides and back.  This allows our service personnel to perform maintenance and switching procedures on these units as needed.  And as always, call us before you dig so that we can locate our buried underground electric cable.  

Trees and power lines can coexist with a little planning and forethought.  Just keep in mind the long-range growth of the plant and make sure it will not interfere with any utility line or equipment. 

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