What Home Owners Need to Know
Tree Trimming
Selecting Trees for Planting Near Overhead Powerlines
Trees, shrubs or vines that grow too close to overhead electrical infrastructure present potential hazards including fires, power outages, or electrocution caused by direct or indirect contact.
When selecting trees for planting, it is important to consider that different varieties grow at different rates. Those that grow faster will need to be trimmed more often or be planted farther from overhead electrical infrastructure.
Consult the Tree Planting Clearances tables for guidance when selecting trees and plants for your property.
As trees mature, the potential danger of tree branches/limbs coming into direct contact with powerlines is increased. Add a severe storm or high winds into the mix, and those same trees/limbs could fall on powerlines, a scenario that contributes to a significant portion of all outages.
Property Owner Responsibilities
Customers are responsible for all initial and continuing tree trimming, tree and brush removal for all new and existing Customer owned Secondary and Primary Services on a Customer’s property. Clearances must conform to the OESC. BHI strongly recommends that a certified utility arborist or a qualified electrical contractor be hired for this work.
Customer responsibility for trimming, tree and brush removal does not include BHI owned non-service Secondary and Primary wires on poles in rear-lots, easements, and rights-of-way.
Customers and their contractors are required to contact BHI to obtain isolation for vegetation work within 10’ (3.0m) of Primary lines, or anytime vegetation above Primary lines is being trimmed or removed.
If you have questions regarding tree trimming, please contact us for direction at:
Burlington Hydro Tree Trimming
As part of Burlington Hydro’s ongoing commitment to provide reliable service, a comprehensive tree trimming program is in place for trees located on municipal property. A rotating three-year maintenance schedule – covering all of Burlington Hydro’s service territory - is aimed at mitigating outages that are caused by tree limb contacts. The standard practice is to maintain a three metre (10 foot) clearance from the primary powerline.
Residents are notified by a hand-delivered letter usually a week or two in advance of tree trimming activities in their neighbourhood. This maintenance work is followed by a clean-up of related debris, costs of which are covered by Burlington Hydro.
For tree trimming services, please contact us at:
DOWNLOAD TREE TRIMMING SCHEDULE
Tree Trimming by Other Companies
Burlington Hydro is often contacted by tree trimming service companies who are removing/trimming trees and require power to be disconnected to provide a safe work environment for their crews working near powerlines. In such cases, every effort is made to provide at least 48 hours notification to customers if the power in the neighbourhood is to be interrupted for this purpose. Any costs related to customer-contracted work is not covered by Burlington Hydro. Please be aware that Burlington Hydro is not responsible for tree trimming services around telephone and coaxial cable . Telephone and cable providers must be called in such cases.
For tree trimming services, please contact us at: