Rocky Mountain Power urges customers to clean up their yards to prevent winter power outages

Power Lines in Spanish Fork Canyon. Photo: US Forest Service

UTAH — Rocky Mountain Power is encouraging homeowners to take care of seasonal home maintenance, especially checking for trees or limbs that could potentially cause harm to nearby power lines.

“A little preventive action today can go a long way toward keeping the lights on when the weather turns,” said Jeremy Gee, Rocky Mountain Power’s managing director of safety. “Winter storms can bring heavy snow and strong winds, and those conditions often cause tree branches to break and fall. When that happens near power lines, it can lead to outages and inconvenience for you and your family.”

RMP urges customers not to use pruning tools or ladders near power lines, and never try to remove a branch that is tangled or lying across a power line. If either of these situations occur, call RMP at 1-888-221-7070 to have them remove it for you.

Additional tips from Rocky Mountain Power:

• Treat all electric lines with caution.

• Use only wooden and fiberglass ladders when near power lines. Metal ladders conduct electricity.

• Be aware and steer clear of overhead electrical wires when installing, removing, cleaning or repairing gutters.

• Never use electrical equipment or tools near a pool or other wet areas such as puddles. Additionally, make sure outlets are equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter, designed to automatically disconnect if the tool comes into contact with water.

• Plant trees and shrubs away from meters, switching cabinets and boxed transformers. Vegetation that blocks electrical equipment makes repairs and maintenance challenging and sometimes dangerous for utility workers.

• Have help when installing or adjusting a satellite dish or antenna. Make sure you’re working at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.

• Underground power lines are just as dangerous as overhead ones. If your project involves digging, make sure the locations of underground power lines are marked. Call 811 to have underground utilities located and marked for free.

For more safety tips or to order free Pacific Power safety materials, visit RockyMountainPower.net/Safety.