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132 004

If you've lost power or want to report fallen powerlines

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1300 137 008

For general enquiries, call from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm

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Trees near powerlines


When trees or branches come into contact with powerlines, they can cause power failures, bush fires and serious accidents.

TasNetworks manages vegetation risk by implementing an extensive maintenance and capital works program across the state.

Leading into summer, we work extra hard to ensure our network remains free from fire hazards.

But we all have a part to play in protecting each other and our environment.  Report trees too close to powerlines online here or call 132 004 if you see trees or branches touching powerlines.

Report trees close to powerlines
 
Tell us you've cleared vegetation

FAQs

  • Service line vs Distribution line

    A service line is the black wire that carries electricity to your property. A distribution powerline often has more than one wire, carries electricity from substations, and generally doesn't connect to a property.

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    You're responsible for clearing any vegetation inside your property boundary that could affect your service line. We're responsible for maintaining vegetation within the Clearance Zone around all TasNetworks-owned distribution powerlines

  • What are the required clearances for Service lines?

    For your safety, if trees or shrubs get within one metre of your service line, you’re not permitted to conduct any maintenance on them, and must contact an authorised vegetation contractor. You must also contact an authorised contractor if any vegetation is above a service line.

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    If you notice vegetation is approaching your service line, you may conduct maintenance as long as you, your tools, or any part of your equipment and the vegetation you’re trimming don’t come within 1 metre of the service line at any time.

    Vegetation clearances    
    Conductor type Urban Rural
    Low Voltage (LV) 1.0 m 1.5 m
    LVABC 0.5 m 0.5 m
    High Voltage (HV) 2.0 m 3.0 m
    HVABC 0.5 m 0.5 m

    Please note:

    • Distance is in metres and applies to sections of all spans
    • The above table indicate minimum clearance space requirements from outside the conductor and doesn’t allow for regrowth cut.        
    • Only Authorised Service Providers can work within 1 metre of TasNetworks assets.    
  • What are the required clearances for Distribution lines?

    We trim trees to adhere to the certain Clearance Zones. The Clearance Zones take into account the space needed to protect everyone’s safety, reduce the risk of fire and ensure a reliable supply of power.

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    As a general rule, the Clearance Zone is 3 metres. But in some cases where there are long spans of powerlines or very tall trees, we may do more than just trim trees and instead completely clear vegetation to achieve greater clearances.

    When maintaining vegetation on your property, under no circumstances are you, your tools or any part of your equipment permitted to be within 3 metres of a distribution line. You must also ensure no part of the vegetation comes within 3 metres of a distribution line.

  • Who’s responsible for keeping vegetation away from the power lines?
    In most cases – vegetation that’s located inside a customer’s property boundary is their responsibility for keeping it a safe distance away from the power lines. If the vegetation is located on public land, we will make sure it’s maintained to a safe distance. View the below diagram for more information. 
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    Customer A is responsible for clearing vegetation inside their property boundary that could affect all parts of their service line.

    Customer B is responsible for clearing all vegetation from Customer A’s tree that has crossed their property boundary and affected their service line. You are only responsible for clearing vegetation on your property.

    Speak with your neighbours to come up with a more permanent solution if regrowth continues.

    Customer C is responsible for clearing vegetation around their service line that is within their property boundary. We’re responsible for maintaining the trees that affect Customer C’s service line on Customer B’s property.

    Customer D is responsible for clearing vegetation inside their property boundary. We’ll maintain the tree affecting the distribution line outside the property boundary. 

    Please note: Not all scenarios are represented in the diagram above, vegetation clearance responsibilities for privately owned power lines will vary. Please call us on 1300 137 008 if you’re unsure of your responsibilities.

  • Plan ahead; plant smart

    Avoid the risk of trees getting too close to powerlines by checking how tall it grows before planting.

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    You may like to consider removing at-risk trees and planting new ones that don’t grow taller than 3 metres at full maturity near distribution lines or don’t grow within 1 metre of service lines. Ideally, it’s best to avoid planting underneath service lines altogether where possible.

    Which trees are best?

    There’s a large variety of trees suitable for growing around powerlines. Speak to your local nursery. They’ll have information to help you select the best trees for your property.