Vegetation management near power lines, fiber optic equipment, and underground utilities is critical for BTES to deliver safe and reliable services.
While trees enhance our landscape, trees planted in the wrong place or not properly maintained can become a concern – causing safety hazards and disruption in services. In fact, trees growing into and near the power lines is our largest cause of electric outages each year. We need your help in maintaining safe and healthy spaces between trees and power lines. When planting new trees, choose the right tree for the right place.
Trees, shrubs, fences, large landscape rocks, or other obstructions are not permitted in access areas above or around BTES’ buried or ground-mounted equipment. A minimum of ten (10) feet of clearance in front and a minimum of three (3) feet of clearance on each side and the back must be maintained around all pad-mounted transformers (unless otherwise posted). Before conducting any digging, call 811 at least 48 hours in advance to have your underground utilities marked.
When trimming trees, BTES primarily uses the Lateral Pruning method. For more information on this method, click here. BTES and our contractors utilize an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) approach that complements mowing and pruning with an effective combination of herbicides to inhibit the growth of underbrush, vines, and other vegetation.
During a power outage, our primary responsibility is to restore power as quickly as possible. We do not remove brush, debris, or trees that are cut in order to safely restore service to our customers. BTES does not conduct vegetation management near low-voltage service lines to a customer’s residence or place of business. However, in the case of endangered low-voltage lines, BTES may, with prior arrangement, lower these lines to allow the customer to perform these vegetation management operations. Upon completion by the customer, BTES will reconnect the service conductors.
Per BTES' Rules and Regulations:
CUSTOMER’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR VEGETATION, OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS, AND DAMAGES - Customer shall control the new and existing trees, shrubbery, vines, and other vegetation and placement of obstructions so as to prevent interference with overhead and underground utility lines and other BTES facilities. In the event such facilities are interfered with, BTES reserves the right, in accordance with BTES’ Vegetation Management Program Guidelines, to trim, cut, remove, or otherwise control or inhibit the growth of any vegetation and/or obstructions by use of equipment, approved substances, or other means. Further, in the event such facilities are interfered with, impaired in their operation, or damaged by Customer, or by any other person when Customer’s reasonable care and surveillance could have prevented such, Customer shall indemnify BTES or any other person against death, injury, loss, or damage resulting therefrom. Customer is financially responsible for BTES’ cost of trimming or removing vegetation and/or obstructions, as well as repairing, replacing, or relocating any facilities as determined by BTES that are necessary as a result of said vegetation or obstructions.
