Special thanks to Debbie Ebert of
McLeod Co-op Power Association for this month’s cover photo.
Utility Lines vs. Trees (Excerpts reprinted with permission from Oklahoma Living magazine) O
ver the past several years Oklahoma has been the target of a high number of
destructive winter and spring storms. Tree damage has been catastrophic, as has been the devastation to power lines. In order to deter future widespread power outages, PEC regularly works to prune back or remove trees that pose a risk to the lines. (You only have to live without power a few days in the dead of winter to appreciate the need for power-line pruning.) 0480400200 Depending upon the growth rate of
the tree, it could be as few as 3 years for a tree to grow tall enough to be an electrocution hazard and cause problems to the electric service. It seems pretty obvious that trees
should not be planted if they will ultimately grow into a power line, but unfortunately many either don’t have information about the ultimate height and spread of their tree or they chose to plant it anyway, leaving it up to the power company to handle the situation.
Winning Results Next Paperless Drawing: June 3, 2013
It’s best if homeowners do some
research before landscaping begins. PEC’s certified arborist, Steve DeShazo states, “Trees should never be planted closer than 35 feet from a power line.” He adds, “Even trees that have a slow growth rate and are not expected to grow into the power line easement may still become a problem. Trees that have been developed to grow under a specific height do not come with a guarantee that they will not escape the projected height and size.” There are a lot of factors that
influence the height and spread of any plant. Soil conditions, water, sunlight, topsoil compaction can make a tree that has dwarf characteristics grow past those genetic tendencies and become a full size tree. Almost any tree that is planted
inside or too close to the right-of-way can never be trimmed to look natural. The price we pay, when a tree grows too close to the line, is the risk of being without electricity. Trees that are planted too close to the electric line, are an expense to the landowner and to the electric utility. Trees that require constant trimming, may eventually require removal anyway. A tree that has grown into the line
(l-r) Jennifer Boeck, PEC’s VP of Communications, presents a Kindle Fire to new paperless members, John and Laura Adam of Tupelo. The Adams made the move to paperless billing in February to be entered to win the March 1 drawing.
can only be safely trimmed or removed by a trained utility person. Homeowners should never attempt to trim trees close to an electric line. Even a private arborist should not attempt to trim or remove a tree close to the electric line. In doing so, if damage results to the line, the property owner will be responsible for the damage and the resulting repairs. For any tree-related questions or concerns you may have, contact Steve DeShazo at (580) 272-1578. There are many small trees, shrubs
and perennials that you can use to create a beautiful view. It will pay off to do a little homework before planting to be sure it will not become a future problem that might threaten the delivery of safe and reliable power to your location.
Business Hours
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday (877) 456-3031 or (580) 332-3031(Ada Area)
24 Hour Outage Reporting System (877) 272-1500 or
(580) 272-1500 (Ada Area) Website:
www.PeoplesElectric.coop
IMPORTANT DATES Bills mailed........................................31st Bills should be paid by the.........10th Cutoffs made...................................20th
STEPS TO FOLLOW IF YOUR
ELECTRICITY GOES OFF 1. Check your fuse or breaker box. 2. Check with your neighbors. Are they off? Have they reported the outage?
3. Call our 24 hour Outage Reporting System at toll-free 1-877-272-1500 or (580) 272-1500 (local Ada area).
4. Always report outages promptly! Remember, the cooperative's responsibility ends at the meter. If a service call is made and the trouble is found on the consumer's side, a $50.00 service charge will be assessed.
5. For faster service, please make sure we have the correct phone number(s) for your account on file. Your phone number will be used to access your account information.
Providing electricity and energy service to over 20,000 meters in the following 11 south central Oklahoma counties: Atoka, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, McClain, Murray, Pittsburg, Pontotoc and Seminole.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Laurin Patton - Ada Chairman & President
Eldon Flinn - Fittstown Vice Chairman
Jack Lambert - Ada Secretary
Bob Thomas - Coalgate Asst. Secretary./Treas.
Jenny Trett- Sulphur Trustee
People’s Powerline | 3 People's Powerline is published monthly by
People's Electric Cooperative
P.O. Box 429 Ada, OK 74821
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