TREE TRIMMING
Our goal is to provide safe, reliable electric service to all residents and businesses throughout our 28 square-mile service area. We’re committed to protecting the safety of the public, our customers and employees. When trees or vegetation come in contact with power lines, they can cause power outages or fires.
Our goal is to provide safe, reliable electric service to all residents and businesses throughout our 28 square-mile service area. We’re committed to protecting the safety of the public, our customers and employees. When trees or vegetation come in contact with power lines, they can cause power outages or fires.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO TRIM A TREE AROUND ANY POWER LINES
Any attempt to trim a tree around power lines without CW&EP disconnecting the power first, may result in serious injury or even death. Please call if you have trees in or around your electrical service wires, or if you are unsure. In most cases, we can schedule to have electrical service wires safely removed temporarily at no cost.
Any attempt to trim a tree around power lines without CW&EP disconnecting the power first, may result in serious injury or even death. Please call if you have trees in or around your electrical service wires, or if you are unsure. In most cases, we can schedule to have electrical service wires safely removed temporarily at no cost.
We periodically hire professional, qualified tree trimmers to trim or remove trees that are growing too close to power lines. When we trim trees or remove vegetation, we do our best to preserves the trees on your property. However, this isn’t always possible and occasionally we must remove dangerous trees that pose a threat to the power system or could cause one of our employees or a member of the public to be injured when the tree contacts live power lines.
Trimming trees or “Vegetation Management” for the purpose of maintaining the electrical grid is required by law and if we were not to comply with the regulations we could be putting the reliability of the electrical system at risk, endangering lives and property and risking hefty fines.
WHY DO WE TRIM TREES?
• Public Safety – to prevent injury to people climbing or working in or near trees growing adjacent to power lines.
• Fire Safety – trees in contact with high voltage power lines can act as an ignition source.
• Outage Reduction – trees are responsible for the largest number of power outages in Missouri.
• Public Safety – to prevent injury to people climbing or working in or near trees growing adjacent to power lines.
• Fire Safety – trees in contact with high voltage power lines can act as an ignition source.
• Outage Reduction – trees are responsible for the largest number of power outages in Missouri.
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY CW&EP assumes responsibility for maintaining proper clearance around its substations and most electric utility lines. It is the customer's responsibility to maintain proper clearance from the last pole to their house (i.e. the "service drop"). The diagram below clearly defines each entities' trimming responsibilities.
CW&EP will provide "service drop" to customers for the purpose of de-energizing the lines so that trees may be removed or trimmed. This service is available at no charge provided the "service drop" request is made during these times: Monday - Friday, 8am to 3pm. You will be billed for "service drop" provided beyond these times.
If you would like to schedule "service drop", please call the CW&EP Customer Service Department at (417) 237-7300 during normal business hours (Monday - Friday, 8am to 5pm). All "service drop" requests must be made 24-hours prior. CW&EP reserves the right to reschedule the request in the event of inclement weather, storm repair, power interruptions, and other unforeseen circumstances.
HOMEOWNER LIABILITY
Failure to allow a utility company to comply with the law can result in liability to the homeowner for damages or injuries resulting from a vegetation hazard. Many insurance companies will not cover these types of damages if the policy owner has refused to allow the hazard to be eliminated.
Failure to allow a utility company to comply with the law can result in liability to the homeowner for damages or injuries resulting from a vegetation hazard. Many insurance companies will not cover these types of damages if the policy owner has refused to allow the hazard to be eliminated.
METHODS OF TREE TRIMMING
In order to maintain the natural shape of the tree, we recommend that homeowners select and plant the appropriate size tree for the space. Also, be sure to plant at least 10 feet from the nearest pole and that the maximum full-grown tree height is at least 10 feet below the power line. Local nurseries, home improvement stores and the Arbor Day Foundation can help you select the proper tree. If your trees are growing into or are too close to power lines, we may be forced to trim the tree or in some cases remove it. These are a few of the tree trimming methods utilized to save trees that have been planted too close to power lines.
In order to maintain the natural shape of the tree, we recommend that homeowners select and plant the appropriate size tree for the space. Also, be sure to plant at least 10 feet from the nearest pole and that the maximum full-grown tree height is at least 10 feet below the power line. Local nurseries, home improvement stores and the Arbor Day Foundation can help you select the proper tree. If your trees are growing into or are too close to power lines, we may be forced to trim the tree or in some cases remove it. These are a few of the tree trimming methods utilized to save trees that have been planted too close to power lines.
If you have any questions regarding tree trimming, please call 417-237-7300.