Frequently Asked Questions

• Distribution Tree Removal Requests
• PSE&G Tree Removal
• Vines and Climbing Plants
• Service Wires

How Does PSE&G Handle Distribution Tree Removal Requests?
If you want to remove a tree from your property that is involved with our overhead lines, one of our representatives will instruct you to hire a contractor. The contractor will then coordinate the removal with our forestry department, which will give the contractor an estimate of the amount of time it will take to complete. The customer/contractor will be charged an hourly fee for the assistance of our tree crews.

How Does PSE&G Handle Tree Removal?
PSE&G may sometimes pursue tree removal of vegetation that is in close proximity to electrical lines. Since there are many factors that influence the removal of a tree, inspection by the supervisor of the tree contract crew and PSE&G personnel will determine whether or not a tree meets the requirements for removal.

Never attempt to remove any tree next to a power line. Call PSE&G Customer Service Center at 1-800-350-PSEG (7734) for assistance.

Do You Remove Vines and Climbing Plants?
PSE&G prohibits the planting of vines and climbing plants on or around our utility poles and transmission structures. These types of plants pose a threat to the safety of our employees and, when wet, can become an electrical conductor. Vines also inhibit our ability to identify a pole location by number, which could lead to an outage.

If a PSE&G employee or line clearance contractor observes vines growing on one of our structures, he/she will cut them at the source and treat them with an approved herbicide, in order to ensure the removal of the vegetation and prevent its re-growth.

Is Tree-Trimming required with Service Wires?
Service wires are low-voltage wire that range from 120 to 240 volts. These wires are typically attached to homes or businesses and are responsible for transporting power to those establishments after the voltage has been stepped down from primary voltage.

Service wires do not require the same clearance from trees as our distribution wires. PSE&G’s division foresters will follow up with each inquiry, however, in many cases, trimming may not be necessary because service wires are lower-voltage wires.