Who takes care of the trees near my power lines?

Union Power prunes vegetation along its own lines on a maintenance cycle, and it will cut a tree that threatens those lines at no charge. Two things surprise members most: the cooperative does not own any trees, in or outside the right-of-way, so the debris and cleanup belong to the property owner, and the service line running from the pole to your house is yours to keep clear.

Pruning along Union Power’s lines

Work follows the ANSI Z133 and A300 standards, using drop-crotch and directional pruning. The goal is to push growth away from the conductors rather than shape the tree around them.

• Distribution lines: the right-of-way is cleared and ground cut to at least 15 feet below the lowest energized conductor, and side and overhead pruning takes a minimum of 15 feet on each side of the conductor, with the crown hooked away from the lines. All overhang is removed.
• Transmission lines: a minimum of 25 feet of clearance, with all overhangs removed.
• Secondary lines: 10 feet.
• Service lines: no routine pruning. Requests are handled case by case, aiming for 10 feet around the wire.
• Fast-growing trees planted in the right-of-way get an extra 5 feet of clearance under the lowest conductor, because they reach the lines before crews return on the next cycle.

Side pruning and V pruning are the two methods used. Topping, pollarding, rounding over and shaping around the lines are not, because each one causes rapid regrowth, weak limbs, disease and decay.

Trees that threaten the lines: the Risk Tree Program

Union Power assesses and addresses these at no cost to the member:

• Dead, dying and diseased trees, and insect-infested trees
• Trees leaning toward the power lines
• Trees with holes at the base or along the trunk
• Trees that may affect underground equipment
• Trees in and on the banks of creeks and streams

What the program does not cover:

• Healthy trees a member simply wants removed, as judged by the cooperative’s arborists
• Trees leaning away from the line, or with low risk of injury or property damage
• Trees where mechanized equipment cannot reach or the tree is unsafe to climb
• Dead trees near yard lights and yard light wires
• Very large trees, past a point the arborists determine

Debris and cleanup

Union Power does not own any trees, in or outside the right-of-way maintenance zones. Debris left behind, in whatever lengths and condition it is left in, is the property owner’s to deal with. In routine right-of-way work, limbs that are pruned or cut are chipped, mowed or shredded on site, or hauled away.

Your service line and yard light

The service line, sometimes called the service drop, runs from the pole or transformer to your house, and routine pruning around it is the member’s responsibility. Union Power will still step in at no cost for:

• Hard contact from a branch that is displacing the line
• A branch growing around the line, or a tree pushing up on it from below
• Dead branches over the line, whether or not they are touching
• A nearby dead tree that could fall on the line, if the arborists consider it a reasonable size

Not covered: trees larger than about 12 inches, branches or leaves merely touching the line, live branches that might contact it under ice or snow, old open-wire service configurations, and locations equipment cannot reach.

Yard lights and lines are installed at the member’s request and expense. The cooperative does a one-time courtesy pruning at installation, and after that handles only hard contact from a branch that displaces the line. It does not prune so a light shines better, and does not remove dead trees near the light.

Free wire drop, if you are hiring someone

If you or your tree service are uncomfortable working near the wires, call 704-289-3145 and ask for a wire drop, with 48 hours’ notice. Union Power disconnects the wire at no charge and reconnects it when you call back. Never prune near an energized line yourself.

After a storm

Crews prioritize clearing trees off wires so power can be restored. Once the storm has passed, Union Power will repair yard ruts left by equipment, repair a yard light or its wire, and reconnect the service line to the house after a licensed electrician has re-attached the meter.

It does not remove or dispose of tree debris, cut down trees hung up on fences, homes or sheds, or reinstall fence and gate sections taken down for right-of-way access.

Herbicides in the right-of-way

Low-impact herbicides are used to control invasive and fast-growing species, with the aim of low-growing vegetation and habitat for pollinators and wildlife. Spraying is low-volume backpack work only, targeted to specific species, at very low concentrations, and timed for fall and winter outside pollinator feeding seasons. Union Power does not spray entire right-of-way zones at high volume, and does not use glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.

Underground padmount transformers

If a padmount transformer sits on your property, crews need 10 feet of clear access in front of the unit, where the lock is, and 4 feet on the other three sides for access and ventilation. That clearance is what allows switching and repairs during a storm. The cooperative will notify you of any problem and cut back vegetation blocking access, but will not replace what was removed, reattach fences or walls taken down for access, or rotate or relocate the unit.

Call about a tree concern

Supporting information: Vegetation management; Program guidelines; Risk trees; Planting guidelines and clearances; Crew locations. Summarized from Union Power’s 2026 Integrated Vegetation Management program documents, which govern if anything here differs.