Put Your Perennials in Their Place and Help Keep Our Employees Safe

October Message from Randall Pugh
President/CEO

Perennials and fall shrubbery add nice accents to landscaping, but when they're planted to hide underground transformers, safety hazards are created.

Trees, shrubs and other vegetation planted too close to energized underground electrical equipment such as transformers can cause delays in restoring electric service during power outages. This vegetation can also place our line crews and personnel in an unsafe working environment when they're making repairs or servicing the equipment. Plus, digging too close to an underground transformer can also put you or your landscapers at risk for injury. 

To help us work safely and get your power restored as quickly as possible, be sure your shrubs and plants are at least 10 feet away from the front door openings of your underground transformer and at least three feet away from the sides of the equipment.

Underground transformers are essentially the same as above-ground transformers. If you have an underground transformer, you'll notice the green box on top of a concrete slab. Transformers served by underground distribution lines are called "pad-mount" transformers. Although you can't see the electric wires, there's still a safety hazard. Underground cable enters and exits the unit from under the ground, and because there aren't any exposed energized parts outside a pad-mount transformer, no additional confinement is required. The case or box is securely designed to help stop unauthorized or accidental entry.

Before digging in your yard, sure to contact the Call Before You Dig line so that areas are professionally marked to show you where all the underground wires are located. Simply call 811, and follow the prompts.

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. Electricity is a necessity, but it's also dangerous whether above ground or underground. If you have an underground transformer on your property, be sure you have your perennials and other landscaping in their place. We understand transformers may not be the most attractive, but we'd much rather have unobstructed access to them than to risk injury or lives.

Randall Pugh
President/CEO.