NOVEMBER 2022
THE MESSENGER A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members
Clear right-of-way vital for reliable service Power lines and trees can be a dangerous combo if they come into contact. Trees touching — or worse, falling into — power lines cause outages or blinks and also create safety hazards for line personnel and the public. That's why North Arkansas Electric Cooperative considers regular maintenance of its right-of-way — the land below, above and on either side of the power lines — to be vital in providing members with reliable service. NAEC personnel and contractors work to maintain a minimum clearance of 15 feet on either side of our power lines, including service drops to member’s homes and businesses. "In addition to increasing our right-of-way easement to 60 feet in past years, we have made a concerted effort to remove as many trees and vegetation from under our lines as possible," said James Woody, vice president of operations. "For reliability and safety purposes, we ask members not to plant trees and shrubs near our lines."
Maintaining the right-of-way through tree-trimming and removal is not only NAEC’s responsibility, but it also is required of the co-op by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In addition to considering the mature height of trees before planting, members can help NAEC maintain the right-of-way and keep their electricity service reliable by: • Calling NAEC at 870-895-3221 if a dead tree is in danger of falling on NAEC’s lines or if branches are touching the lines. • Keeping the area on either side of NAEC’s lines or equipment clear of vehicles, deer stands, buildings and other structures. • Considering placement of fences and gates within the easement, as NAEC personnel and contractors will need access to the lines and equipment for maintenance and outage-restoration purposes.
PLANTTrees TREES SAFELY Plant SafelyAlways call 811 to locate buried lines. Before you dig, call 811 to locate buried utility lines.
NO TREE ZONE
MEDIUM TREE ZONE
LARGE TREE ZONE
Avoid planting shrubs or trees within 30 feet of the power lines. Any vegetation taller than 10 feet will be trimmed or removed.
Plant medium trees (under 40 feet when mature) at least 30 feet away from power lines.
Plant large trees (over 40 feet when mature) at least 50 feet away from lines.
Keep objects at least 10 feet away from transformer doors and 4 feet away from sides. 4 ft.
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THANK YOU, VETERANS. On Nov. 11 and all days, let us honor those who served.
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