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  1. Home
  2. Community
  3. Power Projects & Plans
  4. Reliability & Tree Trimming
  5. Proactive Tree Trimming

Our Proactive Tree Trimming and Removal Process: What to Expect

At least once every four years, our crews proactively trim and remove trees along our distribution power lines and equipment to help minimize future power outages and improve your electric service. If we have forestry work planned in your community, we'll let you know in advance.

Inspection and Marking

If your community is slated for maintenance, we'll start by inspecting trees near our distribution lines and equipment to look for any that could potentially cause an outage. During inspection, we consider several factors to determine if a tree needs to be removed or trimmed:

  • How large is the tree?
  • Is the tree growing right under the primary distribution line?
  • Does the tree look to be diseased or dying?
  • How close is the tree to the primary distribution line?

If a potential problem is identified, we'll mark the tree(s) for trimming or removal.

Trimming and Removal Work

If a tree on your property is identified for trimming or removal, an AEP Ohio representative will knock on your door to discuss our plan. If you're unavailable, we'll leave a door hanger with details. You might encounter forestry experts who work for us, including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, Nelson Tree Service Inc., Russell Tree Experts, Eocene Environmental Group, County Line Tree Service, Edko and others.

When trimming, we aim for at least 10 feet of clearance from our power lines and equipment. This distance helps reduce contact during severe weather, helps ensure public safety and allows access for maintenance. Our crews follow the American National Standards Institute and the International Society of Arboriculture trimming guidelines. We aim to preserve the health of trees while also helping to keep your power on.

In some cases, we might need your help. If we identify trees outside of our right-of-way that could cause a future outage, we might discuss taking extra steps to trim or remove the threat.

Cleaning Up

We'll treat your property with care and respect when doing our work. During normal maintenance, crews clean up branches on maintained lawn areas during planned work, leaving wood and stumps behind. In non-maintained areas, wood and branches are left to decompose naturally. Cleanup crews may arrive a few days after our maintenance work is complete.

Read more about how this process differs during storm and outage restoration.

Keeping You Informed

Please be sure we have your best contact information at AEPOhio.com/Account so we can keep you informed about our plans.

REMEMBER

Never attempt to trim or remove trees or branches near power lines. We use only trained and licensed professionals to clear trees away from our power lines. Serious injury or even death can occur.

If you have a non-emergency tree-related question, please report it online or call 614.883.6987. Please report safety hazards immediately to 911 or to our Customer Solutions Center at 800.672.2231 (available 24 hours).

If you see any fallen wire, STAY AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE from it and anything it may be touching.

AEP Ohio maintains trees along distribution and transmission power lines to help prevent power outages. The process and requirements for trimming around transmission lines and equipment differ. If you want more information on forestry work around transmission power lines, please visit AEPTransmission.com/Forestry. You can also view our one-page overview on our federal reliability standards for electric transmission lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't want my trees trimmed or removed?
We have an obligation to provide you and your neighbors with safe, reliable power. We're mandated by the PUCO to trim and remove trees on our electric circuits every four years. Our forestry work is done in accordance with our company's legal rights and responsibilities under Ohio law as a public utility.
Who does this work?
We use several licensed tree care companies, including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, Nelson Tree Service Inc., Russell Tree Experts, Eocene Environmental Group, County Line Tree Service, Edko and others. All of our forestry experts are qualified to work around electrical lines and equipment. Please contact us at 614.883.6987 if you have questions about crews working in your area.
What methods do you use to keep your power lines and equipment free of trees?
Our crews use various methods to trim or remove trees. Most often, you will see a crew member in a bucket truck. Dense forests or steep hills can make it difficult — or even impossible — for crews to navigate safely with a bucket truck. In those instances, we use helicopters with aerial saws to trim trees. If you've never seen a helicopter with an aerial saw, check out our video to watch one in action.
Does AEP Ohio use tree growth regulators or herbicides?
We've safely used growth regulators for more than 30 years. These products slow tree growth after trimming and help keep trees away from our lines for longer. Silver maple, elm, oak and sycamore are examples of fast-growing trees that may have growth regulators applied after trimming.

To ensure the safety of our customers and property owners, we use only herbicides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other state and federal agencies. We only use licensed and experienced applicators for this work to ensure proper application of the products.

Why doesn't AEP Ohio invest in underground power lines so trees do not impact service?
Many factors go into determining whether power lines are buried. There are pros and cons to both overhead and underground lines. While overhead lines are more vulnerable to damage from weather elements, issues with underground lines often take longer to find and repair — often resulting in extended power outages compared to overhead lines. It's our goal to find the best solution to provide reliable power to the communities we serve.
What's the difference between transmission and distribution lines?
Once power is generated, it moves through high-voltage transmission power lines — you'll often recognize their tall steel towers and poles in your community. This high-voltage electricity travels long distances until it arrives at a substation in your area. From here, it travels shorter distances through distribution power lines and equipment to power your home or business. For more information on our federal reliability standards for electric transmission lines, you can view our one-page overview.

Can't find the answer you're looking for? For more information, contact us at 614.883.6987 or AEPOhioForestry@aep.com.


Related information...
Central Columbus
Northern Columbus
West Columbus
Tree Trimming Support
Plan Before You Plant
Trim to Treat

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