To maintain reliable service and minimize outages, it is important that Duke Energy maintain trees and other vegetation along power lines that deliver electricity to our customers.
Our qualified team of employees and contractors use integrated vegetation management (IVM) to inspect and clear vegetation that poses a threat to our distribution and transmission infrastructure and lines.
Pruning and safety guidelines. We use specific information such as reliability data and other indicators to prioritize where tree pruning and other IVM is performed.
- Pruning: We use approved arboricultural tree pruning standards and best management practices to establish needed clearance between power lines and tree branches.
- Safety: Contact Duke Energy before pruning or removing trees near power lines as it can be a very hazardous task.
Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place. Thinking about planting a new tree? Look up from where you intend to plant and see if any power lines are overhead or nearby. Then, consider what that tree will look like several years from now. It may be hard to imagine the small tree you plant today could grow as tall as 100 feet.
- When planting within 20 feet of an overhead power line, you should choose large shrubs or small trees that grow no more than 15 feet. Trees planted 20 to 50 feet from a power line should grow no more than 40 feet tall. And trees that grow more than 40 feet should be planted more than 50 feet from power lines.
- To provide reliable service, it’s important we maintain trees and other vegetation along the lines that deliver electricity to our customers. Unfortunately, many trees are planted within or too close to utility line rights of way and later must be cut down or severely pruned to provide required clearance for reliability.
Planned Tree Trimming Map. View our interactive tree trimming map to see planned tree trimming projects along distribution lines in your area as well as work in progress and recently completed.