Power Line Safety
Always use extreme caution near wires and power lines—for your own safety, assume they are live and deadly.
If you see a downed line, keep everyone away and report it to us at 1-855-RIE-1102 immediately. Repairing downed power lines can be dangerous work, so please drive carefully when you spot our repair crews on the road.
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If you see a downed power line, NEVER:
- Touch downed power lines or anything coming in contact with fallen lines
- Walk beneath overhead equipment, lines, or wires near a downed line
- Touch someone who is being electrically shocked
- Handle or cut utility poles
- Burn old poles as firewood—this will expose you to the chemicals used to treat and preserve them
Diseased or overgrown trees can damage power lines and lead to outages. To ensure reliable service, we will visit your neighborhood every five to seven years to trim around high voltage electric wires. We do not trim outside of our schedule unless there is a significant hazard affecting those wires.
Homeowners are responsible for trimming tree branches near the low voltage service drop to their individual home. Many people choose to remove these trees to reduce the risk that their tree may damage their home or electric service.
Vegetation Around High Voltage Lines
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Unregulated tree and vegetation growth near high-voltage transmission lines can cause service interruptions, wildfires, and electrocution. Rhode Island Energy has established “rights of way” around these lines where vegetation is strictly regulated to ensure public safety.