Power Lines and Trees: What Charlotte Homeowners Need to Know

Drive through almost any Charlotte neighborhood and you will see it: tree branches tangled in power lines, limbs hanging over wires, and trunks growing dangerously close to utility poles. Charlotte has an estimated 11 million trees across Mecklenburg County, and a huge number of them grow near overhead power lines. After every summer thunderstorm or winter ice event, trees and power lines collide, knocking out electricity to thousands of homes.

If you have trees near power lines on or around your property, you need to understand who is responsible for what, what you can safely do yourself (almost nothing), and when to call Duke Energy versus a private tree service company. Getting this wrong is not just a matter of inconvenience. It can kill you.

The Danger Zone: Why Power Line Trees Are Different

Electricity from overhead power lines can arc through the air to a nearby conductor, including a wet tree branch, a metal ladder, or a person. The standard safety rule is to stay at least 10 feet away from power lines at all times. That includes your body, any tools, ladders, or equipment.

Here are numbers that matter:

• Standard residential distribution lines carry 7,200 to 14,400 volts. That is enough to kill on contact.
• Transmission lines (the tall metal towers you see along highways and I-485) carry 69,000 to 500,000 volts. These are the big ones that feed substations. Stay far away.
• Service drops (the line that runs from the pole to your house) carry 120/240 volts. Lower voltage, but still dangerous, especially in wet conditions.

A common mistake Charlotte homeowners make is assuming they can trim branches near the service drop to their house. Even though the voltage is lower than distribution lines, touching a wet branch that contacts an energized wire can cause serious injury or death. This is not work for a homeowner with a pole saw.

Duke Energy's Responsibilities in Charlotte

Duke Energy Carolinas serves the Charlotte metro area, including Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Iredell, Union, Gaston, and parts of surrounding counties. Duke Energy has specific obligations and programs for dealing with trees near power lines.

Duke's Free Trimming Program

Duke Energy runs a vegetation management program where they trim trees near their power lines at no cost to the homeowner. They operate on a roughly four-year cycle, meaning they come through each area about once every four years to trim trees growing into or near their distribution lines.

Here is what Duke will do for free:

• Trim branches that are touching or growing toward power lines
• Cut back vegetation to maintain clearance around distribution lines
• Remove branches that could fall onto lines during storms

Duke contracts this work out to companies like Asplundh and Davey Tree, which you will see working throughout Charlotte in marked trucks with bucket lifts. They typically trim on one side of the tree only, the side facing the power lines, which can leave trees looking lopsided. This is called "directional pruning." It is not pretty, but it is free and it keeps the lights on.

What Duke Will NOT Do

Duke Energy's responsibility begins and ends with their infrastructure. They will not:

• Remove a tree entirely (they only trim for line clearance)
• Trim branches that are not near their power lines, even on the same tree
• Grind stumps
• Clean up debris from trimming beyond what falls in the right-of-way
• Trim trees near your service drop if it is the customer-owned portion
• Maintain trees near cable, phone, or internet lines (those belong to the cable/telecom company)

A common frustration in neighborhoods like Dilworth, Plaza Midwood, and Myers Park, where large oaks and maples tower over the streets, is that Duke's trimming can leave trees looking unbalanced. After Duke trims the power line side, many homeowners hire a private tree service to clean up the rest of the tree and restore a more natural shape.

Who Pays for What: A Clear Breakdown

This confuses a lot of Charlotte homeowners, so here it is laid out simply:

• Trimming near distribution and transmission lines: Duke Energy pays. You do not need to do anything except let their crews access the trees.
• Full tree removal near power lines: You pay. Duke will trim for clearance, but if you want the whole tree gone, that is on you. You will need to hire a tree removal company that is equipped to work near power lines.
• Trimming near your service drop: This depends on where the line transitions from Duke's responsibility to yours. Generally, Duke owns the line up to the weather head (the connection point on your house). The service drop itself may be Duke's or yours depending on the specific setup. Call Duke to clarify before touching anything.
• Storm damage cleanup: If a tree falls on power lines, Duke will clear the tree from their lines, but they often leave the rest of the tree in your yard. Removing the trunk and debris from your property is your responsibility.
• Cable and internet lines: Those low-hanging black lines are not Duke's. Contact your cable provider (Spectrum, AT&T, etc.) for trees affecting those lines.

A Tree Is Touching Power Lines Right Now: What to Do

If you notice a tree branch resting on or touching power lines, here is the step-by-step:

1. Do NOT touch the tree. Even if it looks like it is just leaning on a wire, that tree may be energized. Electricity can travel through wood, especially wet wood, and through the ground around the base of the tree.
2. Do NOT try to trim it yourself. No ladders, no pole saws, no climbing. It does not matter how easy it looks.
3. Call Duke Energy. Report the situation by calling 1-800-769-3766 (1-800-POWER-ON) or report it online. If the situation looks immediately dangerous (arcing, sparking, a line down), call 911 first.
4. Keep people and pets away. Treat the area around the tree as a danger zone until Duke or the fire department clears it.
5. Wait. Duke will send a crew to assess and address the situation. During major storms, this can take hours or even days. During normal conditions, they are usually faster.

After a Storm: Trees and Downed Power Lines

Charlotte averages about 45 thunderstorm days per year, and severe storms with high winds can bring down trees and power lines across the metro. After Hurricane Helene in 2024, parts of Charlotte went without power for days as crews worked to clear trees from lines throughout the region.

Here is what you need to know about the post-storm situation:

• Downed power lines are always an emergency. If you see a wire on the ground, assume it is live. Keep at least 35 feet away and call 911. Do not drive over downed lines.
• A tree on a line may still be energized. Even after a storm has passed, a fallen tree draped over power lines can conduct electricity. Do not attempt cleanup until Duke confirms the line is de-energized.
• Duke prioritizes by impact. Lines serving hospitals, major roads, and large numbers of customers get fixed first. Individual residential service drops are lower priority. It is frustrating, but that is how the system works.
• Emergency tree services can help, but with limits. An emergency tree service company can remove a tree that has fallen on your house or in your yard, but they cannot work on portions that are touching power lines until Duke de-energizes the line. If a tree is on both your house and a power line, you need Duke to come out first.

Preventing Problems Before They Start

The best approach to power line trees is to deal with them before a storm turns them into emergencies. Here are practical steps Charlotte homeowners can take:

Know Which Trees to Watch

Certain tree species common in Charlotte are more prone to power line problems:

• Bradford pears: Notorious for splitting in storms. Their weak branch structure means they shed large limbs onto lines regularly. Charlotte has actually discouraged planting new ones.
• Water oaks: Fast-growing but relatively weak-wooded. Common in older Charlotte neighborhoods.
• Sweetgums: Tall, fast-growing, and their branches become brittle with age.
• Loblolly pines: The tall pine trees you see everywhere in the Carolinas are shallow-rooted and prone to toppling in saturated soil after heavy rain.

Schedule Regular Trimming

Do not wait for Duke's four-year cycle. If you have trees growing near power lines, hire a tree service company to trim them proactively. A qualified crew with line-clearance training can trim your trees while maintaining safe distances from the wires. This is not something you do yourself. It requires specialized equipment and training.

Consider Removal for Problem Trees

If a tree repeatedly grows into power lines and requires constant trimming, it may be worth removing it entirely and planting a smaller species in its place. Trees that grow no taller than 25 feet are safe to plant under power lines. Good options for the Charlotte area include crepe myrtles, dogwoods, and Japanese maples.

Hiring a Tree Service for Power Line Trees

Working near power lines requires a tree service company with specific qualifications. When hiring someone for this kind of work, look for:

• Line-clearance training: The crew should have OSHA-compliant training for working near energized lines. Ask about it directly.
• Proper insurance: This is critical. If a worker contacts a power line on your property and the company does not have adequate insurance, the liability situation gets very complicated. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing both general liability and workers' compensation.
• Experience with power line trees: This is not the same as general tree trimming. The techniques, safety protocols, and equipment are different. Ask how many power line jobs they have done.
• Coordination with Duke Energy: For removals close to lines, a good company will coordinate with Duke to have the line temporarily de-energized or arrange for a Duke crew to be on-site during the work.

Standard tree service pricing applies, but work near power lines sometimes carries a premium of 20% to 40% over comparable non-line work because of the added risk and safety requirements.

The Short Version: Leave Power Line Trees Alone

Charlotte's tree canopy is one of the things that makes this city beautiful, but it comes with a trade-off: millions of trees growing near thousands of miles of overhead power lines. Every storm season, that combination costs the region millions of dollars in outages and damage.

As a homeowner, your job is simple: never touch a tree that is near, touching, or could fall onto a power line. Let Duke Energy handle their lines. Hire qualified professionals for any tree work near wires. And think ahead. Getting a problem tree trimmed or removed before the next big storm hits is always cheaper and safer than dealing with the aftermath.

If you are not sure whether a tree on your property is too close to power lines, call Duke Energy to ask, or get a free assessment from a local tree service company. A quick look from a professional can tell you whether you have a problem that needs attention now or one that can wait.