Right of Way

Meade County RECC maintains over 2,600 miles of power lines to serve our members. This enormous task is hindered by the rapid growth of trees and other vegetation that can interfere with the flow of electricity or prevent access to the lines. When either occurs, the quality of service to you and other members suffers. That is why Meade County RECC must keep rights-of-way clear of obstructions.

If Your Trees Grow Into Power Lines
The high-voltage power lines that bring electricity to your neighborhood are not insulated. When trees or other obstructions become entangled in these lines, they can cause outages and become safety hazards. If you notice tree limbs touching these lines, contact Meade County RECC. Our employees will investigate and remove the tree limbs quickly or schedule the work for the right-of-way crew.

The service lines that deliver electricity from the pole into your home are insulated to prevent electrical shock and protect them from damage. However, if tree limbs damage the wires and the covering is frayed or missing, please report it immediately so our employees can make repairs or replacements.

When a Tree Makes Contact with an Overhead Power Line

Electricity will flow throught the tree into the ground.
This can be hazardous, as well as wasteful and costly.
Power outages can result affecting homes and businesses in the area.
The power line can be severely damaged by blowing or falling trees and limbs.

Right-of-Way Trimming is Necessary
Keeping the power lines clear of trees and undergrowth is a year-round job for Meade County RECC. Our maintenance program includes the use of contract right-of-way crews, heavy-duty tractors for removing undergrowth beneath the lines, and limited use of safe herbicides.

Trade-A-Tree Program
Meade County RECC will cut and remove trees growing into our primary power lines. Members are offered a free replacement tree throught our Trade-A-Tree Program. These trees will be planted away from the power lines. The Trade-A-Tree Program does not apply to trees growing in the service lines (lines connecting the house to the primary lines). To learn more about the Trade-A-Tree Program, call any Meade County RECC office.

Pole Inspections
In order to bring electricity into your home, Meade County RECC must maintain over 42,000 poles to support the power lines. We inspect each pole as part of a regular maintenance program to insure their long life (about 40 years) and the safety of employees who must climb them. Recently, a contractor's employees began helping Meade County RECC employees perform this task.

We appreciate your understanding that these workers must be on your property occasionally to inspect and treat these poles.