Energex is urging people not to plant tall trees or bamboo near powerlines.
The Utility’s warning comes after “a couple of electric shock close calls with members of the public”.
Area Manager for Energex, Matt Hilder said tall vegetation near powerlines was one of the primary causes of outages in Queensland and could easily be avoided if people only planted appropriate species in their yards.
“Fast-growing plants like bamboo can quickly shoot up to 20 metres in no time and the wrong species of tree can cause serious safety risks when planted under, or too close to powerlines,” Mr Hilder said.
“Likewise, people may think something like a jacaranda will look great on their footpath but in a few years the tree will be interfering with the area’s power supply and our crews will need to cut it,” he said.
Mr Hilder said gardeners needed to consider a plant’s maximum mature height, then plant it even further than that from power infrastructure to preserve supply and keep everyone safe.
“If property owners in an area with overhead powerlines want to know what trees are safe to plant and won’t touch the network, Energex has a list on its website along with recommended distances to keep plants away,” he said.
“We’re not telling people they cannot beautify their yards with plants and trees, we’d just like them to ensure they plant appropriate species that won’t adversely affect the power network, potentially causing a safety hazard.”
The Area Manager said if people currently had tall trees or bamboo close to the power network, they should not try to try trim them themselves.
“If there’s vegetation growing into powerlines already on their footpath, the best thing to do is call us and we’ll organise for them to be assessed to prevent future power outages and possible dangers to the community,” he said.
“Our qualified vegetation contractors can then advise what action Energex or the homeowner needs to take,” Mr Hilder said.
