May is National Electrical Safety Month

MILWAUKEE, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- We Energies reminds customers of all ages that safety should be part of their spring planting activity and that they should keep a safe distance from overhead and underground power lines.

Last month, We Energies participated in cooperative programs at elementary schools in the West Allis, Waukesha, Oak Creek, Freedom, Weyauwega, Fremont and Kimberly school districts to emphasize the importance of working and playing safely around power lines. We Energies also explained how trees contribute to the vitality of communities and taught students about planting the right tree in the right place.

"By being involved in community activities, we have been able to get our message across to more people and influence the types of trees selected for planting near utility lines," said Saul Lopez, manager of Forestry, Locating and Right of Way for We Energies. "Our customers have benefited by learning how to plant trees that can reach their potential beauty and functionality without interfering with power lines. We all benefit by having safe and reliable electric service," he added.

Coming in contact with an underground electric line can be life-threatening. Utilities bury lines at the proper depth during installation, but changing soil conditions can move the facilities, so whether you want to plant a tree or dig a trench, simply dial 811 three working days prior to any digging projects. This hotline is a free service that will mark the location of any buried lines in your yard.

Awareness of overhead power lines also is important. "We strongly encourage anyone planning to plant a tree to keep safety, reliability and energy efficiency in mind," said Jeff Treu, We Energies regional forester. "Plant trees well away from power lines. Trees and power lines just don't mix."

We Energies recommends these safety guidelines for spring planting:

• Plant trees that will be well away from overhead power lines when fully grown. Consider small ornamental trees or shrubs that will not exceed 15 feet in height, such as serviceberry, dogwood and low-growing evergreens as alternatives to such trees as maple, basswood, burr oak, white pine or spruce, which grow more than 40 feet high and should be planted more than 50 feet from any overhead power lines.
• Plant bushes and trees at least 10 feet away from pad-mounted equipment—the green boxes with Mr. Ouch safety stickers on them. Routine work and power emergencies require 10 feet of work space to access this equipment.

May is National Electrical Safety Month and We Energies encourages all customers to practice safety around electric and natural gas facilities. For more information, call the We Energies Customer Service line at 800-242-9137 or visit the Safety section of the We Energies website, which includes details about tree planting.

We Energies serves more than 1.1 million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula and more than 1 million natural gas customers in Wisconsin. Our electricity prices are well below the national average. We Energies is the trade name of Wisconsin Electric Power Company and Wisconsin Gas LLC, the principal utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy Corporation (NYSE: WEC). Visit the We Energies Web site at www.we-energies.com. Learn more about Wisconsin Energy Corporation by visiting www.wisconsinenergy.com.

SOURCE We Energies

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