Right of Way Maintenance
Cullman Electric Cooperative is responsible for maintaining the power lines that bring electricity to your home, farm, or business. To maintain our 3,500 miles of power lines, we must periodically use our right-of-way to those lines that cross your property.
What is a right-of-way?
It is a legal agreement that allows us access to the property directly beneath and either side of an electric power line to perform maintenance or repairs. We may also need to remove trees and brush that would obstruct our activities in the right-of-way.
Why is right-of-way maintenance important?
Right-of-way maintenance is essential to prevent future power outages. Like changing the oil in your car to avoid future car trouble, it is important to maintain and monitor around powerlines and electrical equipment. Regular maintenance allows crews to spot dying and leaning trees that are at risk for falling. It reduces the chances of falling trees or limbs causing power outages, especially during storms.
How often does regular right-of-way maintenance occur?
Cullman Electric Cooperative recently increased how often maintenance is performed from a five-year cycle to a four-year cycle. Crews now rotate through the entire Cullman Electric Cooperative system trimming around your lines once every four years.
What area do tree trimmers maintain, and how long before the trimming is cleaned up?
The right-of-way is everything within 15 feet on each side of the power line. The tree trimmers clear 15 feet on each side. They also cut and trim “danger trees.” You can expect right-of-way trimming to be cleaned up within 3 to 5 days. If your property is not cleaned within this time frame, please contact a member services representative at 256-737-3200 or send an email to info@cullmanec.com.
What are “danger trees?”
Danger trees are trees above the power line, below the power line, dead, dying, uprooting, or leaning within the 15 feet on each side of the power line.
How do I report a “danger tree” or something else in the right-of-way that needs to be addressed?
Please contact a member services representative at 256-737-3200 or send an email to info@cullmanec.com.
Right of Way Contractors are on my property. What can I expect?
Contractors will have clearly marked vehicles with Cullman EC decals. They will take the safest route to get to the right-of-way areas they need to maintain, which may include coming on your property. They will do their best not to disturb any other property. Secondary contractor crews are responsible for coming back to the site to ensure cuttings are cleaned up in a timely manner.
Why did the crew cut down a dead or leaning tree outside of the 15’ right-of-way on my property and not clean it up?
The maintenance crews cut “danger trees” as a precautionary measure to prevent future outages. It is the responsibility of the property owner to clean-up these trees once they have been cut-down.
Why are contractors "spraying" the right-of-way on my property?
Cullman Electric Cooperative contracts crews to spray invasive species of vegetation such as Pine, Mimosa, Privet, Bradford Pear, etc. that end up voluntarily growing in the right-of-way. Crews also target vines such as Trumpet and Kudzu, which can climb poles and at a rate of 12 to 18 inches per day. The spray cycle trails the trim cycle by one year. So if the trees in your right-of-way are trimmed in 2020, you can expect a spray crew to visit your right-of-way in 2021. All spray companies are licensed to apply herbicides targeting the mentioned species of invasive vegetation.
Important information for property owners:
Property owners need to understand the importance of regular maintenance and allow crews to maintain the areas around power lines. If crews encounter locked gates or other restrictions, they are allowed to access the area without notifying the member. Please refer to section 1.6 of the Service Rules and Regulations for further information on Right of Access Property owners should notify crews if there is a septic tank or water meter near the right-of-way that could be damaged. Animals, including pets, need to be secured and kept away from the crews.
What I have additional questions or concerns?
Please contact a member services representative at 256-737-3200 or send an email to info@cullmanec.com.