Who takes care of a branch near a wire depends on which wire it is, and it's worth knowing before you hire anyone.
What Consumers Energy does
The utility trims trees and brush around its low-voltage distribution wires, from 240 volts to 14.4 kilovolts. Clearance depends on the voltage, and a planned trimming project in an area takes one to three months. It doesn't trim for phone, cable or fiber lines owned by other companies (though it may clear around them for its own lines), and streetlights are generally the municipality's responsibility.
What's yours
Trees near the service drop, the wire from the pole to your house, are the property owner's responsibility, and Consumers recommends a qualified tree company. Utility crews don't cut dead trees along service lines unless they threaten the primary lines.
- Need the line down for the work? Call 800-477-5050 and ask for a temporary disconnect and reconnect.
- A tree or branch on a line: call 911 first, then 800-477-5050. Don't touch it.
- A hazard that isn't an emergency: use the utility's online Report a Tree Hazard form.
- Always: assume a power line is energized, and never let a ladder touch one.
After a storm
Ice is the classic wire-and-tree problem here. The February 2023 ice storm brought down more than 8,000 wires across the utility's territory, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer, and that coverage passed on the advice to stay at least 25 feet from downed lines. See storm and fallen trees.
Licensing
Battle Creek's tree trimmer license exempts a public utility and its contractors. A private tree company working on your service-drop tree inside the city still needs the city license.