Customer Service > Outage & Safety > Line Clearance > Landscaping Tips

Overhead Wires

When planning your landscaping, consider how tall any trees will be when they reach maturity. By planting tall trees away from power lines, this will reduce the amount of trimming needed for line clearance. The diagram below provides general guidelines for tree height and distance from power lines.

*Diagram courtesy of International Society of Arboriculture

Trees on Your Property

It is the responsibility of the property owner to keep the service drop—the wires that run from the pole to the house—clear of trees. We recommend hiring a professional tree service to do this trimming.

DP&L will assist the tree trimmer by de-energizing the service drop so that work can be performed safely. There is no charge for this de-energizing service.

Customers can call DP&L's Construction Control Center (937-331-4860) a few days in advance of the work to schedule an appointment.

Underground Lines

In neighborhoods where power lines are located underground, transformers and other above-ground equipment are used to connect and regulate underground service. These facilities require periodic maintenance and access to restore service during outages.

A 10-foot clearance is required from the front of the equipment and a 3-foot clearance is needed around the back and the sides. Please plan your landscaping with these clearances in mind. Be sure to consider how much the landscaping will spread as it matures. We must trim or remove vegetation or structures that encroach on these clearances