Trees Near Power Lines in Tyler, TX

Limbs in the wires? Call the electric utility first. Texas law keeps people and tools six feet from high-voltage lines without utility arrangements.

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In Tyler, the electric utility trims trees growing into the high-voltage lines between poles. Call it, and never cut near those wires yourself.

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A limb on a line, sparks, or a wire on the ground? Keep everyone back and call 911. Then call the utility. Ice brings this on fast: on February 1, 2023, KLTV photographed a tree limb down on a power line on South College Street in Tyler.

Which utility to call

Choose Energy and ElectricChoice both list Oncor Electric Delivery as the utility that delivers power in Tyler. SWEPCO (Southwestern Electric Power Company) runs lines in other parts of East Texas; KLTV reported on its tree-trimming program from Longview in March 2026. If you live outside the city, read the utility name printed on your bill before you call.

	Oncor	SWEPCO
Tree near a line, possible hazard	888-313-6862 (call 911 for fire or sparking)	888-216-3523
What its crews trim	Trees near high-voltage distribution lines between poles; at least 7 ft around open-wire secondary lines and 3 to 5 ft from neutrals and wrapped secondaries	Only trees growing too close to lines that run pole to pole
Line from the pole to your house (service drop)	Not spelled out on its tree page; ask before work starts	Owner's responsibility; call at least two business days ahead for a temporary disconnect
Trimming for looks	Owner pays a private arborist	Not done; it trims only for line clearance

Where the utility's job ends and yours begins

Utilities trim to protect their wires, not to shape your tree. Here's how the work splits, based on what Oncor and SWEPCO publish:

Pole-to-pole lines are the utility's. Oncor says any trimming from one pole to another must be done by Oncor. Don't hire anyone to do it.
The drop to your house is often yours. SWEPCO leaves limbs around the service drop to the property owner. Call ahead and it will send a crew to disconnect that line temporarily so the tree work can be done safely.
Cable and phone lines aren't the power company's. Oncor says its pruning doesn't happen near cable TV or phone lines. Call that provider.
Debris has rules too. After routine trimming in manicured areas, Oncor removes the debris its teams create. After a storm, it prunes what's needed to restore power and leaves trees and debris it didn't create. A tree that falls without touching a line is the owner's to clear.

What Texas law says about the six-foot zone

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 752 covers "high voltage" lines, meaning more than 600 volts, bare or insulated. Its main rules:

Six feet. No one may work where a person, tool, machine or material could come within six feet of a high-voltage overhead line, unless safety measures are in place.
48 hours' notice. Whoever is responsible for work closer than that must notify the line's operator at least 48 hours before it starts, and agree on de-energizing, moving or shielding the line.
You pay for the clearance. The person doing the work pays the operator's actual cost, and the operator can ask for payment first.
Penalties. A violation is punishable by a fine of $100 to $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both. If contact with the line happens, the violator is liable for damage to the line.

Oncor adds that OSHA rules keep workers without line-clearance training at least 10 feet from high-voltage lines.

Why trees under the lines look lopsided

Oncor says it uses directional pruning, cutting limbs back to where they would naturally shed. Trees taller than the wires often end up in a V or Y shape. That looks odd, but it isn't tree topping, which leaves stubs.

You'll usually get notice. Oncor leaves a door hanger card before planned trimming, and its crews generally work from about 7:30 or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You don't have to be home. Oncor also says it may evaluate dead, diseased or hazardous trees near its lines for removal, but stump grinding generally isn't included.

SWEPCO uses yellow door hangers. Its external affairs manager told KLTV in March 2026 that owners can ask crews to leave the wood, cut it into two-foot sections or take it away. He said SWEPCO trimmed over 1,200 miles of line across its three-state system the year before and planned to double that.

Hiring a tree company for a tree near lines

Some jobs near wires are private work: a dead tree that could fall into the line, or limbs over the service drop. When you send a request, describe every wire the tree could reach.

Call the utility first. LawnStarter notes that many utility companies trim trees near power lines at no charge, so ask before you pay anyone.
Expect a higher price. For large trees near power lines, HomeAdvisor's guide says the bill can pass $10,000, and a hard-to-reach spot can add 25% to 50%. LawnStarter says trimmers take extra precautions near lines, at greater expense. National figures, checked October 2026.
Ask who arranges the clearance. Ask the company whether it will contact the utility, and who pays for any disconnect.
Plan for the stump. If the utility drops a tree and leaves the stump, see stump grinding.

The Tyler tree removal cost guide covers the other add-ons.

Planting the next tree

ISA's guide to tree and utility conflicts splits a yard into three zones around distribution lines:

Distance from the wires	Mature tree height that fits
Within 15 feet on either side	20 feet or less
15 to 50 feet away	40 feet or less
50 feet or more	Any size, given enough root space

ISA also notes that locating underground utilities before digging is often required by law, so call your locator service before you plant. Tyler Parks and Recreation publishes an approved tree list, and its Ask the Arborist line, (903) 531-1370, takes tree care questions.

More reading: trimming trees in Tyler, storm and emergency tree removal, or start from the Tyler tree service home page.

Common questions

Who is responsible for trimming trees near power lines in Texas?

For the lines that run from pole to pole, the electric utility. Oncor says any trimming from one pole to another must be done by Oncor, and SWEPCO says its forestry team trims or removes trees growing too close to its pole-to-pole lines. Trimming for looks, and in SWEPCO's case trees threatening the service drop to your house, are the owner's job.

Can I trim a tree that's touching the power line to my house?

Don't do it yourself. SWEPCO says trees threatening the service drop are the property owner's responsibility, and asks you to call 888-216-3523 at least two business days ahead so it can temporarily disconnect the line. On an Oncor address, call Oncor at 888-313-6862 and ask what it will do before anyone climbs.

How far do branches need to be from power lines?

It depends on the line. Oncor says it clears at least seven feet around open-wire secondary lines and three to five feet from neutrals and wrapped secondaries. Separately, Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 752 bars any person or tool from coming within six feet of a high-voltage line unless the line's operator has arranged safety measures.

Does the utility haul away limbs after a storm?

Only some of them. Oncor says that after storms it prunes what is needed to restore service but doesn't remove trees, limbs or debris it didn't create. A tree that falls without touching a line is the property owner's to clean up, and Oncor warns debris removal after major storms can take several weeks.

Sources (11)

Last updated 2026-10-24