MidAmerican Energy Company

Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

Why do you prune and remove trees from around electric wires?
Providing our customers with safe and reliable electric service requires the periodic pruning or removal trees near our electric wires. Fallen trees or debris from trees can cause outages and can create dangerous situations when they knock down electric lines. Trees near electric lines also pose a danger to children who climb them.
Why can't I prune trees by electric lines myself or hire a tree service to do it?
To work safely near energized electric conductors, you or your tree service must be line-clearance certified. Specialized equipment, training and testing are required for certification. Our crews have this training. If you, your equipment or the branches you touch come in contact with an energized conductor, you can be seriously injured. Before working on trees, remember to LOOK UP BEFORE YOU PRUNE, and check for nearby conductors. If electric conductors are near, contact us and we will do what is necessary to make your work electrically safe. There is no charge for this service.
How much will this cost me?
Pruning and removals are limited to only what is necessary for line clearance and safety; therefore, the maintenance cost is covered in the electric rates and is paid for by all of our customers. There is no additional charge for this service.
Why do you prune only one side of some of the trees? Doesn't that throw them off balance?
We only prune what is necessary for electric safety and reliability. For trees to the side of the lines, we do what is known as a side pruning. Removing healthy limbs from the opposite sides of trees to balance their look may compromise their health and make them hazardous.

Trees are not balanced on their trunks at the soil line. Rather, they are anchored by extensive root systems that spread out like plates just below the soil surface. Keeping trees healthy is the best way to prevent them from becoming a hazard.
Why aren't you shaping, rounding-over or shearing trees anymore?
In the past, utilities across the country, including the predecessors of MidAmerican Energy Company, frequently used these methods in an attempt to solve tree/electric conflicts. These methods, while commonly used on shrubs, are not good for the health of a tree.

Stubbed off limbs (not cut at nodes) do not seal, allowing decay to occur. These limbs either die back or produce rapidly growing watersprouts. These watersprouts can increase the height of the tree and easily break during wind and ice storms. By using natural pruning methods, trees stay healthier and less frequent pruning is needed.
What do you mean by natural pruning?
Natural pruning simply means removing a limb at the point where it grows from either another limb or the trunk of the tree. The final cut is made just outside of the branch bark ridge and collar. Cuts made at this point, called a node, seal naturally and help prevent decay. Within a few years, a callous will cover the cut completely. Coating a cut with tree paint may hinder a tree's natural ability to seal itself and is not recommended.
Why do you prune more on some trees than on others?
The amount of pruning needed depends on two things � the type of conductor and the type of tree. Our main lines (transmission and distribution) need the most clearance. Tree contacts with these are serious safety hazards and can cause major electric service outages. Service lines can withstand minor contact with trees; however, they must have a clear path to the house.

Different trees have different branching patterns and growth rates. Fast-growing trees, like silver maples and Siberian elms, have weak limbs that can split. Limbs that overhang our main lines require removal. Stronger, slow-growing trees do not need to be pruned as much. Other factors that determine the amount of necessary pruning include a tree's movement in windy conditions and its ability to be climbed.

Will you trim the trees around the service line to our house?
Minor pruning is done around service drops when crews are in the area pruning the main lines. Crews are instructed to look for branches that could damage the electric service line to the house and remove them.

For major work, such as a removal, we disconnect the electric service so you or a contractor can safely do the work. This service is available, at no charge, Monday through Friday. Please make your request at least two working days in advance.
Why do you have to remove trees?
Directly under electric facilities is the wrong place for tall growing trees. They will not reach mature height or grow to their natural shape. They can be a danger to people who climb them. These trees should be removed and replaced with smaller growing trees.

Many of these trees are volunteers; that is, they were planted by birds (mulberries and cherries), animals (walnuts and oaks), or blown in by the wind (maples, cottonwoods and elms). Some are planted by people, not realizing how tall the trees will grow. Remember to plant the right tree in the right place. Tall-growing trees should be planted at least 20 feet away from electric lines.
What trees should I avoid planting near electric lines?
Trees that are easy to climb and fast-growing trees with weak branching patterns should not be planted near electric lines. Pines, especially white pine, are among the easiest trees for children to climb. Siberian elm, weeping willow and silver maple tend to have tight crotches that easily split under a heavy water or snow load or during high winds.
Are there any trees that can be planted under electric lines?
Any tree that matures at 20 feet in height or less in its natural form can be planted under power lines. A few species include the Kousa dogwood, Eastern redbud, Amur maple, Snowdrift crabapple, Serviceberry species and hybrids, Washington hawthorn, Kwanzan cherry and dwarf fruit trees. Check with your local nursery for availability and other ideas. Avoid improper pruning practices, such as topping or shearing, that can produce watersprouts.
How do you handle customer calls for tree trimming?
Customer requests for tree work typically are received through our call center. The information received by the customer service associate determines if a call is classified as an emergency or non-emergency order. To request tree trimming services, phone (888) 427-5632. When calling, provide as much information as possible regarding the reason you are placing a request.

All calls require a field check and follow-up. Our practice is to check the emergency calls as soon as possible and all other calls within two working days.

Our obligation is to make tree/utility conflicts electrically safe. We determine in the field whether that means de-energizing lines or doing the work. We go through a step-by-step evaluation, taking into account safety, customer service and costs at each step.

First, we determine if the tree is near any wires, if those wires are ours and if there is a hazard. If not, we will notify you and advise you on how to proceed. If it's near our wires and a hazard, we check to see if the line can be de-energized and determine if it's more cost effective to do that or to do the work ourselves.

If we need to do the tree work and there is not an immediate hazard, we may ask you to delay the work until we have crews in the area doing regular maintenance work. Otherwise, the work is done as soon as possible, usually with minimal cleanup. In either case, we will make you aware of when the work will be done.

Our goal is to assist you in solving your problem, whether that means doing the work when we are responsible for it or giving you enough information to help you solve your problem when we are not.
What is the policy on cleaning up debris from tree work?
During regular maintenance pruning, crews will remove all debris. The mulch (wood chips) and any wood is left if you request it.

For a regular maintenance tree removal, the brush is chipped, the wood is cut to manageable lengths for your use or disposal, and the stump is cut as close to the ground as possible and treated to prevent regrowth.

If dead or dying trees are removed, the tree is put on the ground and all debris is left.

When you or your tree service requests assistance, we are obligated to make the situation electrically safe, leaving all debris.

When clearing storm damaged limbs from electric wires, we make the situation electrically safe, leaving all debris.

These guidelines apply to work that is performed by us with no charge to you. Please contact forestry services with any questions regarding clean up after tree work.
Why don't you clean up the debris after a storm?
This can be a confusing issue because, most of the time, our tree crews clean up the debris generated from pruning trees near our electric facilities.

The simple answer is that we clean up debris when we are responsible for making it (routine maintenance). Trees and limbs that break and come in contact with our conductors are caused by factors beyond control and are not our responsibility. Disposal of this debris is the responsibility of the property owner.

In these situations we are obligated, at our expense, to make hazardous situations electrically safe. In major storm situations, it is particularly important to alleviate the hazard quickly and move on to the next work site as soon as possible.

When you are faced with cleaning up storm damaged trees and debris, check with your city or local government about disposal regulations and procedures. It's common for city public works departments to clean up debris after major storms. There are normally press announcements soon after the extent of damages has been assessed. Usually they require that the debris is cut up and set out on the curb or at the regular garbage pick up site.

If this is not an option, contact a reputable tree service for disposal. While they are there, it's a good idea to have them evaluate the condition of your trees in order to prevent future problems.
What do you do with the wood chips?
Line clearance tree crews, working throughout the company's service territory, generate more than 2 million cubic feet of mulch each year. And we give it all away.

Home owners, tree nurseries, schools and parks take most of it. They use it for tree plantings, weed control, moisture retention, padding for playground equipment and nature trails. We also use mulch for Keep Cool at School, a fund-raising program for tree planting in the elementary schools. To learn more, e-mail Keep Cool at School.

Mulch is given away in full loads only. The typical load consists of about 13.5 cubic yards of material, enough to cover an area about 30 feet by 30 feet, 4 inches thick. During the winter, it's mostly wood chips and occasional evergreen needles. In the summer, the leaves are mixed in with the chips, making an excellent source of organic material.

Since the mulch is not store quality material, many of our customers will spread the mulch as a base and cover it with a more decorative material.

There is no list kept for delivering mulch. Orders are given to crews with instructions to dump at the nearest address to the work site in order to reduce our costs.

There also are central dumping sites in some of the metro areas across the company where customers can go for mulch. Des Moines, Iowa City and Waterloo have sites near or in service centers that customers can access.

Wood Chip/Mulch Dump Sites

Delaware Service Center
4845 Northeast 22nd
Des Moines, Iowa
Directions: At the northeast corner of the parking lot.

Iowa City Service Center
1630 Lower Muscatine Road
Iowa City, Iowa
Directions: In parking lot behind building.

Waterloo Office and Service Center
260 Fairview Avenue
Waterloo, Iowa
Directions: South side of building.