EUGENE WATER  &  ELECTRIC  BOARD

Need to prune or remove a tree? Is the tree located near power lines? Never attempt to trim or remove a tree that has power lines running through it. If you discover trees growing into lines, please call EWEB at (541) 685-7000 and follow the prompts for Tree Trimming (press #1, then #6, then #2 and then #1).

The Eugene Water & Electric Board has an extensive maintenance program for trees along power line right-of-ways.

EWEB routinely inspects the electrical system to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable power. EWEB must comply with Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) rules governing clearance around power lines and electrical facilities. An ongoing part of this inspection process is identifying and clearing trees around electrical facilities. This vegetation can pose hazards to the public and can cause interruptions to electrical service.

Water, sap and chemicals in trees are excellent conductors of electricity. If a tree has grown into a power line, the potential exists for power to travel to the ground.

We also keep trees out of the power lines to protect children and others climbing trees. If you are thinking about building a tree house, plan ahead and make sure power lines are at least 10 feet from the house. Design the house so that no matter where a child plays on the structure, the power line is never closer then 10 feet.

Trees are individually evaluated. EWEB will trim tree growth away from the electrical facilities utilizing the directional pruning method. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommend this form of trimming for vegetation around high voltage power lines.

V-pruning involves cutting back portions of a tree's upper crown.

Side pruning consists of cutting back or removing side branches.

Side pruning of coniferous trees often results in a shape similar the image below:

Trees with one main trunk growing straight up must be topped to allow power lines to pass safely above.

Some types of trees that are incompatible with power lines have commonly been planted underneath EWEB's power lines. We are very interested in assisting with the replacement or removal of these trees. If you have a tree that routinely grows into the lines, replacing it with a shorter tree is the best long-term solution. See tree selection for a list of recommended trees.