Tree maintenance

Every year, overgrown trees and other vegetation make contact with power lines. This contact creates a risk of electrical hazards including fires, electrical shock, and downed lines.

Trees and power lines

Every year, overgrown trees and other vegetation make contact with power lines. This contact creates a risk of electrical hazards including fires, electrical shock, and downed lines, which makes it a challenge to provide safe and reliable service.

Safety

Our electrical equipment transports high voltage electricity. Trees or other vegetation sometimes grow too close to power lines which creates a safety hazard and a potential for electrical shock, power outages and fires.

3 metre rule

To safely operate and maintain power lines, the Alberta Electrical Utility Code and the Alberta Utilities Commission recommends trees and other vegetation be approximately 3 metres from the power lines. This clearance area allows our crews and their equipment to safely operate without obstructions. It also helps to reduce the chances of a tree coming in contact with the power line and causing a power outage or fire.

If a tree has fallen on a power line

Call 911 or our Power Emergency line at 780-412-4500.

Provide them with the address and location of the tree. Keep yourself and everyone else back 10 metres from the tree and power line until EPCOR or emergency services can arrive and secure the scene.

Call our 24 hour power emergency line if the tree is:

Interfering with primary power lines
Causing power service issues
Causing severe stress on the power service line to your home or business

Call 780-412-4500

forest

EPCOR's tree maintenance program

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Landscaping guidelines for homeowners

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Information for professional arborists

Safely trimming your tree

If trimming your tree or shrub requires you to work within 7 metres of an overhead power line, call us at 780-412-4500 and request a Safety Codes consultation. We can help provide guidance about working safely in close proximity to power lines and other electrical equipment.

In an emergency

During a storm, tree branches can come into contact with power lines and cause power outages. If a tree has fallen onto a power line, we work to restore power to your home as quickly and safely as possible. This can mean trimming trees on your property to ensure power can be restored.

If we need to trim trees in an emergency situation, the homeowner is responsible for the clean-up and will not have input on aesthetics or the visual impact.

Tree trimming in your neighbourhood

It's important to report any trees in your neighbourhood that pose a threat to power lines, before they lead to a power outage.

Know the 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, or if vegetation in encroaching on a line.

Typically located at the top of the power pole
They run from power pole to power pole
Maintained by us and carry a high voltage

They run from pole to pole
Maintained by us and carry lower voltages than primary lines

They run from the pole to your home
Maintained by us and carry a low voltage
As a property owner, you are responsible to ensure that any vegetation or landscaping on your property does not interfere with any of the lines that run from the pole to your home

Typically, they are the lowest lines attached to the pole
They run from the pole to your home
Maintained by your cable or telephone provider

Root growth in your pipes

Roots from trees growing on private property and on boulevards throughout Edmonton can cause flooded basements and damaged sewer pipes.

Disclaimer

This webpage provides information only. Any reliance placed on this information is strictly at your own risk. EPCOR does not assume any responsibility or liability for any action, loss or damage that arises out of, or is in connection with the information contained in this webpage.