Teams of PSO employees placed informational tags on 5,000 trees in 15 business days.

As part of the company’s Look Before You Leaf campaign, teams of PSO employees placed informational tags on 5,000 trees this fall, sharing information with customers and the public about planting trees away from power lines.

The company is asking homeowners to look up and determine where the power lines are located before they plant trees they purchase from nurseries.

The PSO Look Before You Leaf community project is designed to share information about how trees planted in the wrong place too near power lines interfere with electric reliability.

Planting the right tree in the right place is critical to ensuring electric reliability. Just one falling or sagging tree branch can interrupt power to customers.

The tags show how big a tree is likely to grow, and how far it should be planted from power lines.

Trees need space and it’s important that trees be planted far enough away from power lines to ensure that electric service is not compromised.

PSO offers these tips on planting trees:

• Only shrubs should be planted near or under power lines.
• Small variety trees need to be planted at least 15 feet away from power lines.
• Medium variety trees need to be planted at least 30 feet away from power lines.
• Large variety trees need to be planted at least 40 feet away from power lines.

Before you plant, download our Tree Tips brochure (PDF : 807 KB : get viewer ) or you can call us at 1-800-305-6742 and we'll send you a free copy.