Pacific Power tree trimming near power lines

Where Pacific Power trims

Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) serves about 820,000 customers in 243 communities across Oregon, Washington and northern California. Its service-area map shows, in Washington, Yakima, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Walla Walla and Dayton. In Oregon it shows parts of Portland plus Astoria, Hood River, Pendleton, Enterprise, Lincoln City, Dallas, Independence, Stayton, Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Madras, Redmond, Prineville, Bend, Junction City, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Coos Bay/North Bend, Roseburg, Coquille, Myrtle Creek, Grants Pass, Rogue River, Eagle Point, Central Point, Cave Junction, Medford, Klamath Falls and Lakeview. The map does not name counties.

In Portland, PGE’s service-area page names most neighborhoods and Pacific Power’s map shows parts of the city, so check your bill; see PGE tree trimming for the other side. Co-ops and city utilities (Ashland, Eugene, Springfield and others) run their own programs; the utilities index lists the ones covered here.

What Pacific Power trims and how often

Routine pruning is done near distribution lines to hold safe clearances, and Pacific Power says the vegetation services its crews provide as they work through a neighborhood come at no cost to you. Along transmission lines, crews assess trees in the wire zone and border zone and remove the ones that pose a risk. Around poles, vegetation is cleared 8 ft high within a 10 ft radius so crews can reach the pole.

Pacific Power does not publish a cycle length for routine pruning (not stated), and the vegetation FAQ linked from its page returned a 404 error when checked. Call if a tree is in a line rather than waiting for a cycle visit.

Clearance distance

The page shows photos of the expected shape of trees after pruning but gives no clearance figure for distribution or transmission lines (not stated). The only numbers it prints are planting distances, below, and the 8 ft by 10 ft pole-clearing zone. Oregon’s minimums for utilities sit in the Public Utility Commission’s vegetation rule, OAR 860-024-0016, which Pacific Power’s page does not cite.

The service line to your house

Pacific Power’s page does not say in words who owns clearance along the service line (not stated). What it does say is practical: it will send someone to disconnect your service temporarily, for free, so that you or a licensed professional can prune or remove a tree near the line without touching an energized wire. That is the arrangement most of the utilities covered on this site use, and it puts the work and the cost on you.

Pacific Power’s own instruction is never to prune limbs or remove trees near power lines yourself. Ask for the disconnect first, then book a crew; our tree removal near power lines page explains how a crew sequences that job.

How to request trimming

Call 1-888-221-7070 to request an evaluation of a tree near a line or to report a vegetation hazard, or use the online contact form. The same number arranges the temporary service disconnect. For trees that are not near a line, that is ordinary tree trimming at your expense; the tree trimming cost page has modeled ranges for both states.

A tree touching a line right now

Pacific Power’s rule is never to go near a downed line, and a tree resting on one counts. Keep people and pets back, do not try to free the limb, and call 1-877-508-5088 or text OUT to 722797 to report it. If the wire is on the ground, on a vehicle, or there is fire or an injury, call 911 first.

No tree service should cut until the utility has de-energized or cleared the line. What happens after that, including who hauls the wood, is on our emergency tree service page.

Who may work within 10 ft of a line

So a Medford or Yakima tree service can take down everything outside the 10 ft zone, but the part inside it waits for Pacific Power or a line-clearance contractor. Check the crew’s license before they start: the Oregon license lookup and Washington license lookup guides show how.

Planting under Pacific Power lines

Pacific Power’s planting guidance is by mature height. Trees that stay under 20 ft can go 20 ft or more from a pole. Trees that reach 20 to 40 ft belong at least 40 ft from the pole, and anything that will top 40 ft belongs 60 ft or more away. The page does not publish a species list (not stated). After a tree evaluation, Pacific Power says you may choose to hire a qualified arborist for the rest of your yard; that part is private work at your cost.