Right-of-Way

Trees are a valuable asset in commercial, private and public landscapes.  They add beauty, help our environment and add value to the property.  However, these same trees can be a major challenge for VEC. Vegetation is one of the leading causes of power outages on VEC’s system.

• Trees are one of the significant causes of power outages in areas with overhead utility lines.
• When trees contact with energized wires they become conductors of electricity, causing power outages or creating dangerous situations.

VEC works hard to maintain its rights of way near overhead powerlines to deliver safe and reliable electrical service.  Our vegetation management crews work to keep trees, shrubs, vines and other vegetation off power lines, so your power gets to you safely and ensures it stays on. We do so for three reasons:

Safety

Trees near power lines pose a threat to your home, your electric service, and your health. When trees come in contact with power lines they may become conductors, carrying deadly electricity within reach of your family, livestock, or pets.

System Reliability

About 85% of all power outages on VEC’s system are the result of trees and other vegetation coming in contact with our lines. These outages are costly and inconvenient. And because our distribution lines are only a part of a larger system, the tree on your property may create problems for hundreds or even thousands of people.

Economic Responsibility

Aside from safety and system reliability, VEC has a financial responsibility to our members to weigh the financial impact of our vegetation management program. The return on the money we spend to control vegetation is significant. Our trimming and herbicide spraying programs help control line loss and outage management expenses. These savings translate into lower rates for our members.

Year round! With over ten thousand miles of power lines across our service territory from Georgia to Kentucky, VEC must continually trim to keep up with tree growth. In fact, even with multiple contract crews working every week it takes 5-6 years to complete a single trim cycle. Therefore, we must prune tree limbs back far enough, so they don’t grow into power lines before we have an opportunity to return to your area.

VEC may remove trees, brush, and vines within the forty feet (40) maintenance zone.

If you have a tree growing directly under power lines, we encourage you to let VEC remove it. We will cut the tree down, chip/grind the smaller limbs, and cut the logs into firewood lengths – all at no charge.

During normal trimming, our contractors will remove and/or chip tree limbs and debris from your property. However, VEC does not remove tree debris caused by a storm, tree or limb failure, or for emergency restoration of power after an outage. VEC crews may need to cut broken and uprooted trees, trees across roads and driveways to make repairs to our power lines, but it is the responsibility of the property owner to remove the brush/debris.

VEC follows the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) A-300 Part 1: Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance – Standard Practices, Pruning. These guidelines, endorsed by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) promote natural target pruning and directional pruning methods, which minimize pruning stress to focus on tree health while obtaining needed clearance from conductors. This type of pruning keeps the overall structure of the tree strong and more resistant to high winds and heavy ice. At the same time, it directs growth away from power lines. VEC does not “round over”, “shape”, or “top” trees because this practice is discouraged by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). We also have ISA – certified arborists on staff.

Trees growing directly under the conductor may appear U- or V- shaped. Trees growing alongside a conductor or power lines may appear L- shaped, or one side may be removed from side pruning. In general, trees growing close to the electric utility lines or facilities will never have the potential to grow with a completely “natural” looking shape.

VEC’s easements, recorded or prescriptive, are signed agreements by the member which grants the cooperative an easement or rights-of-way over, on, and under any property of a member’s property. This signed easement legally permits VEC access to trim trees and provides vegetation maintenance to secure a safe and reliable electric system. VEC maintains a total (40) feet utility easement or (20) feet on either side of a power pole from ground to sky.  Other permanent structures or buildings are not allowed within utility easements.

Tennessee courts consistently support a utility’s right to prune/trim and remove trees, both within and outside of the right-of-way if they pose a threat to the electric system. Electric Co-ops are required by state and federal regulations, including the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to maintain clear distances between vegetation and power lines to prevent outages and safety hazards.

Yes! Herbicide use is a cost-effective method for managing vegetation, preventing outages, and ensuring right-of-way access for emergency repairs.  VEC only uses EPA- approved herbicides with specific labels for utility right-of-way use. The herbicides used are very safe and environmentally friendly and are non-restricted herbicides that any homeowner can purchase and apply to their property without a license. VEC selected herbicides are applied by licensed applicators using low volume backpack foliar sprayers for targeted control.

Herbicide spraying is more cost effective than mechanical clearing, reducing overall vegetation management costs.

“Right Tree, Right Place”  Please look up first and carefully plan where you plant trees on your property. To avoid trees being trimmed away from power lines, plant short flowering trees or low growing shrubs to prevent problems later with overhead or underground utility lines. Remember VEC’s right-of-way space is 40 feet wide.

For help in choosing a tree species and planting advice visit www.arborday.org when planting around utilities.

Yes, only if contract trimming crews are currently working in your immediate area.

Trees growing near or into power lines are a danger and may cause power outages.

Never attempt to trim or remove trees near power lines yourself, call VEC for assistance, we have trained crews with specialized equipment.

Children, adults or pets climbing in trees that are in contact with power lines can be severely injured or even killed.

Never let unqualified people work on hazards near an electric line.

Tree growing directly under or close to power lines can be difficult to trim. In some cases, it is best to remove the tree. Candidates for tree removal are assessed on an individual basis. Please contact VEC if you have concerns about a tree near the power line that needs to be removed.

Dead trees near power lines are a serious hazard, requiring immediate action. VEC will cut down or make safe any dead tree that is going to interfere with our equipment.

VEC does not cleanup, chip, or remove any dead tree!

Property owners are responsible for trimming trees around the service lines running from the pole to your home. VEC will disconnect the line temporarily, at no charge, to allow the homeowner to perform the work safely.

Call VEC toll free at 855-940-3927, a customer service representative will be happy to assist you.

Click the link below to find out where VEC’s Herbicide Treatment Areas are for 2026:

Volunteer Energy Cooperative Integrated Vegetation Management Herbicide Treatment Areas 2026