Trees can cause outages
Many power outages and interruptions are caused by tree limbs that fall into power lines. This potential danger to you and your property can be avoided by routine tree trimming and not planting tall-growing trees under or near electric wires.
Prevention
Where practical, new utility lines are constructed to avoid potential conflicts with trees either by installing lines underground or routing lines to avoid existing trees. Proper selection and planting of trees near utility easements can:
Before planting new trees, look overhead and all around the intended site. Note how far the tree planting site is from overhead utility lines and the easement and select trees that will not interfere with utility lines.
Overhead Utility Lines
Many neighbourhoods have different overhead utility lines and it's important to be able to identify them so you know who to call if there's a problem.
Power Lines
Primary Lines
Primary overhead are the main wires that run from pole to pole and bring electricity to your neighbourhood. They're typically located at the top of the pole and do not run to your house. These lines are maintained by EPCOR and carry high voltage. Learn about power safety.
Secondary Lines
Secondary overhead lines are the wires that run from pole to pole. They're typically located directly below the primary lines in the middle of the pole. These lines are also maintained by EPCOR and carry lower voltage. Learn about power safety.
Service Lines
Service lines are the wires that bring electricity to your home. They run from the main power poles to your house. These lines are also maintained by EPCOR and carry lower voltage. Learn about power safety.
Communication Cable Lines
The communication cable lines that run to your house provide cable, phone and Internet service. These lines are maintained by your cable/telephone provider. If there as an issue with these lines, please contact your cable/telephone provider. These lines are usually the lowest lines attached to the pole.
Tree Trimming Completed by EPCOR
To maintain safe and reliable service, we will trim tree limbs in these categories:
Interfere with existing primary overhead lines
Have the potential to interfere with existing primary lines
Obstruct the route of new primary lines
Are damaging or affecting the integrity of service lines
We will trim trees from service lines in emergency situations only. The home owner is responsible for the disposal of fallen trees or trimmed branches related to service lines on private property.
Report tree trimming
By phone
Call our 24 hour power emergency phone number at the top right of this page if the tree is:
Interfering with primary power lines
Causing power service issues
Causing severe stress on the service line
Online
The form below is for non-emergencies only. If the tree is causing an emergency, please call our power emergency phone number at the top right of this page.
Complete the form below only if the tree is not causing any power service issues.
Please note that a response to any requests made through the online form may take up to 2 business days.
Tree Trimming on Private Property
We will trim trees from service lines on private property in emergency situations only.
The property owner is responsible for:
If the home owner wants to trim trees near power service lines, we can disconnect the power service while the home owner or their hired arborist completes the work. Call our emergency phone number at the top right of this page for this service. Please call 2 hours in advance to ensure the availability of a crew. This service is available every day, including Sundays and holidays, but may be delayed due to emergency work.
Tree Trimming on Easements
An easement is a right to use a landowner's property for a specific purpose. Right-of-way easements allow us the authority to trim trees, without property owners' permission, in order to provide a safe and reliable electric system.
However, we respect our customers' property and will notify the property owner of the need for the tree work before trimming is done. In unusual or emergency situations, it may be necessary to trim trees without first notifying the property owner in order to restore service or eliminate safety hazards.
Because of the inherent danger of electric lines, any trimming needed within easement areas should only be carried out by qualified contractors in line clearance trimming, never by homeowners or non- certified arborists companies. We contract trimming professionals that follow Best Management Practices for Utility Trimming of Trees. These practices were developed from the residential and commercial tree care industry, utilities, the municipal and federal sectors.
