Tree trimming keeps power flowing safely
Trees may seem harmless on a calm, sunny day. But add a bit of wind or ice on a stormy night and those towering pillars may threaten your home’s electric supply.
Storm outages are sometimes related to trees contacting power lines, so regular trimming of trees and brush along power lines helps cut down on the number of outages as well as annoying blinks.
Electricity interruptions can occur when branches break and fall across power lines, or when trees tumble onto power lines. When strong winds blow, limbs growing too close to power lines may sway and touch wires, causing those annoying blinks” in power.
To fight these potential problems, electric cooperatives clear growth away from power lines as a way of reducing potential outages and safety risks.
Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative (BDEC) is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable power, and a tree-trimming program is key to fulfilling that promise.
Crews look for foliage growing under lines, overhanging branches, leaning or other types of dangerous trees that could pull down a power line if they fall. As a rule of thumb, 25 feet of ground-to-sky clearance should be available on each side of utility poles to give power lines plenty of space.
If a tree is growing underneath or near a power line, it should be cut down completely, to avoid dangerous situations.
BDEC also advises members to consider where they plant new trees. While a sapling may seem fine where it’s planted, members should consider what the tree will look like at maturity.
If trees in your area are growing into power lines, please call BDEC. Crews will trim as soon as their work schedule allows.
When danger looms
Sprawling tree limbs look beautiful when covered with leaves, but what’s hiding among those branches? If it’s a power line, call a professional to trim that tree before it causes a hazard for you or leaves you without power.
When a tree touches an overhead power line, danger looms. Children climbing that tree can get shocked or killed; branches can break or fall onto the wire, causing an outage; or the wind can whip a limb into the line and cause an outage. But remember: When power lines are involved, always leave the trimming to professionals.