Questions? Call 713-207-2222 to be connected with CenterPoint’s forestry team
Preventing power outages
Trees and power lines are sometimes not compatible. Trees left to grow unmanaged can cause power outages and electric safety hazards.
Our professional tree trimming program is integrated into our daily operations. Trees are trimmed according to the American National Standards Institute A300 Pruning Standards, which are utility trimming standards accepted by the National Arbor Day Foundation, the International Society of Arboriculture and other tree care organizations.
CenterPoint uses natural trimming methods to minimize the impact of tree trimming and cause the least possible stress to the tree. As trees continue to grow, CenterPoint will trim as necessary to maintain clearance for service reliability.
V-trimming around distribution lines
Side-trimming around distribution lines
Distribution vs. transmission
Distribution lines are usually on wooden, fiberglass or composite poles along roadways or in easements along property lines. These lines carry power through neighborhoods and directly to customers’ homes and businesses. Trees that grow close to CenterPoint’s electric distribution poles and wires will be trimmed by a professional tree trimming company under contract with CenterPoint.
High-voltage transmission lines are generally located on large steel towers or poles within rights-of-way owned by CenterPoint. These lines carry power across long distances and need much greater clearance from trees than distribution lines. If a tree makes contact with a transmission line, service to thousands of homes and businesses may be interrupted. Hazardous current may travel down the tree, into the ground and across local underground cables and pipes causing severe damage to public and private property. Trees that may impact high voltage transmission lines will be removed from CenterPoint’s rights-of-way.
CenterPoint will also trim trees or vegetation from around, above or below street and security lights when the tree or vegetation may damage the electric infrastructure powering the street or security light.
CenterPoint does not charge for typical tree trimming services performed on existing electrical facilities.*
*CenterPoint may charge individuals or developers for tree clearing to help facilitate new service construction in certain situations, which would be agreed upon prior to construction.
Tree trimming on your property
If you feel your trees are too close to any electric infrastructure, you can request tree trimming by contacting your Retail Electric Provider or calling CenterPoint at 713-207-2222 or 1-800-332-7143. A representative from CenterPoint will inspect the tree and determine if it requires trimming immediately. If the tree does not create an obvious hazard or service reliability problem, CenterPoint may defer maintenance until area-wide trimming is done in the future.
Serious injury or death can occur when untrained homeowners or workers attempt to trim trees around energized power lines. By law, unless you coordinate with CenterPoint Energy to do the work safely, only professionals who are authorized by the local electric utility are allowed to trim or remove trees next to energized power lines. These professionals have been properly trained and equipped to work safely around power lines.
Debris removal
Under normal daily operations, tree trimming debris will be removed on the same day the work is performed. Occasionally, debris may be left overnight and removed the next morning, but only after the property owner has been notified and given consent.
Property owners are responsible for clearing debris following service restoration efforts required by:
- fallen or broken trees,
- routine inclement weather, or
- a major storm or other natural disaster.
Tree removal and dead trees
CenterPoint may cut down trees that are close to its power lines based on factors such as the types of equipment affected; the type of tree, its growth rate, its appearance after normal line clearance maintenance, its size, and its health; and ongoing line clearance requirements.
When a hardwood tree is removed, CenterPoint contractors will apply herbicide to the stump to ensure that the tree’s root system will not re-sprout. State and federal regulatory agencies have approved all herbicides utilized by CenterPoint contract crews.
If a dead tree is posing a threat to CenterPoint Energy’s electrical equipment, the company will cut down the tree. However, the property owner is responsible for disposing of the wood left on-site. Remember, never attempt to remove any tree next to a power line yourself – call CenterPoint for assistance at 713-207-2222 or 1-800-332-7143.
Plant the right tree in the right place
Are you planning to plant a tree on your property? If so, before you plant, know the growth potential of your trees and place them an appropriate distance from residential power distribution lines.
Before planting your tree, be aware of the location of any utility lines. Look up to be sure you are planting at a safe distance away from power lines. To locate underground lines such as electric, cable, telephone and gas lines, contact 811 at least two business days before you plan to start digging.
- Never plant trees underneath power lines or directly adjacent to transmission line rights-of-way. Any vegetation or trees that interfere with transmission lines are subject to removal under the terms of the land rights granted to the company. Choose low-growing ground covers, decorative plants and shrubs.
- If you choose to plant trees near your home, select trees that have a short height at maturity and will not interfere with nearby power distribution lines.
- Avoid planting vegetation around electric transformer boxes used with underground power lines. Allow at least 10 feet of access in front of the transformer and 5 feet around the sides and back.
Plant trees away from high-voltage transmission lines
Transmission line rights-of-way change with the construction of new lines and rebuilding of existing lines. Open space inside a transmission line right-of-way is reserved for future transmission and distribution lines that will require the trees to be removed.
The decision to remove a tree depends on several factors, including:
- voltage of the power lines,
- proximity of the tree to the wires and
- health of the tree.
CenterPoint inspects and maintains its transmission rights-of-way and transmission line vegetation growth on a five-year cycle. CenterPoint makes an annual aerial inspection of the rights-of-way to identify trees that are dead, dying or compromised in such a way that they may fall onto an adjacent transmission line.
Since many of these trees are located outside the right-of-way, CenterPoint attempts to obtain landowner permission to remove these trees before they fall. Branches that overhang into CenterPoint’s right-of-way may be trimmed rather than removing the entire tree.
