Right-of-way maintenance is one way your electric cooperative controls the cost of delivering safe and reliable electric service. Tree trimming is very important to Consolidated Electric. Clearing crews are contracted by the Cooperative to remove trees and brush from the electric lines. Removing limbs and trees away from power lines reduces many potential hazards.

You can help cut your losses! Report trees that are interfering with power lines and plan carefully before planting yard trees.

Consolidated Electric recommends trees located within 25 feet of either side of the power line be removed to completely eliminate the hazards. If we remove a tree interfering with power lines from your yard, the cooperative will plant a replacement tree of your choice from our catalog. A wide variety of trees suited for any landscape are available.

Safety Reminders
  • Power lines broken by falling branches could remain electrified. Never touch a hanging wire or the ground around the wire, you could be severly injured or even killed.
  • Climbing in a tree near a power line may cause a branch to touch the electrical wires. Electricity could flow through the branch into your body and cause severe injury or death.
  • Never attempt to prune a limb yourself that is near a power line. Only qualified line clearance professionals are allowed to work within 15 feet of high-voltage lines.
  • Taller-growing trees near power lines increase the time needed to correct an outage, forcing maintenance crews to hunt among the branches to locate service problems. Severe trimming may be necessary to correct the problem, possibly resulting in more costs and damage to trees.
Use Landscape to Enhance Your Home's Efficiency

While landscaping can be used to create an area of beauty and enjoyment, it can also help your home to conserve energy. For example, evergreens can serve as windbreaks and should be planted on the west or north side of your house at least 50 feet away.

Deciduous trees (trees that drop their leaves in the fall) should be planted on the south and/or west side of your house. They can provide cooling shade in the summer and allow warm sunlight through in the winter.

Keep your family more comfortable and reduce your overall energy costs. The practical placement of trees and shrubs, the effective use of insulation, and the proper use of caulking and weather-stripping all work together to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter.