Trimming and removing select trees from areas surrounding power lines helps us provide safe, reliable electric service to communities throughout Michigan.
Tree Trimming and You
What to Do if a Power Line is Down
Safety Facts about Trees and Power Lines
Always assume a power line is energized and dangerous.
Power lines are not insulated; if you touch one you will be severely injured or even killed.
Don’t cut down trees or branches near power lines. Leave that to our crews.
Don’t allow children to climb in trees near power lines.
When removing objects from a tree, stay clear of power lines.
Never let your ladder touch a power line.
How We Manage Trees for Safety and Reliability
Our expert Tree Management Team follows established forestry guidelines to ensure trees don’t interrupt your service. We use qualified line-clearance contractors to safely clear trees and vegetation that could interfere with our power lines.
Clearance standards vary based on the voltage of nearby electric lines. The decision to trim or cut trees depends on tree species, location, and health. Some trees in or close to the utility right-of-way easement will need to be cut to ensure safe and reliable service.
Who is Responsible for Clean Up?
Here is what we will clean up after planned maintenance tree work:
When you, as the property owner, are responsible for clean up:
Other Ways We Manage Vegetation
Frequently Asked Questions
Trees and branches that are on or near wires on pole to building connections (service drops) are the responsibility of the property owner. We recommend hiring a qualified tree company to address your concern. If there is a need for the power line to be temporarily removed from your home, please call us at 800-477-5050. The phone agent will work with you to create Temporary Disconnect and Reconnect orders to ensure that your tree contractor can safely to resolve your issue.
The marks mean one of our Forestry personnel has identified tree and brush work that need to be performed.
Approximately two weeks before tree crews begin work on a scheduled maintenance project, a letter will be mailed to you. It takes anywhere from one to three months to complete the project, so it could be anywhere from one to twelve weeks before the tree crews arrive to do work on your property.
You do not have to be home when our crews perform work. If you have a concern about the crews getting to the work area through fences or gates, or the placement of septic tanks so crews do not accidently drive over the tank, please contact the number on our letter or door hanger. This connects you directly with our forester who planned the work and can ensure that the crews take extra precautions on your property.
We cut down dead trees along our primary voltage distribution lines that are accessible to aerial lift trucks and within distances specified in our easements or per our specifications filed with the MPSC. We do not cut down dead trees along service lines to homes or dead trees that do not threaten the primary voltage lines. If you have a dead tree on your property near your service line, you can schedule a temporary service disconnect by calling 800-477-5050 so that a tree removal company you hire can remove the tree. We will reconnect the service line when the tree work is complete.
PLEASE NOTE: The information on this page refers only to trees and vegetation around low voltage distribution wires, ranging from 240V to 14.4kV. None of this information refers to high voltage lines.