trees & powerlines
- Trees planted near overhead powerlines can present serious hazards and cause damage to property and interruptions to the power supply - about 90 per cent of blackouts are caused by trees affecting powerlines, especially during storms.
- A tree should never touch or overhang or be able to fall across a powerline. A good safety tip is to plant trees at the same distance from powerlines as their potential height.
- Tree pruning or felling can be hazardous near overhead powerlines and should be performed by qualified tree trimmers.
- Always check whether any excavation work you are doing is above underground powerlines, natural gas pipes or other services.
Click here for a full list of trees that are unsuitable for planting under power lines.
To download a copy of our Tree Planting Guide click here.
See the vegetation management section for more information.