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Stay Clear of Damaged Power Lines & Equipment

NLI Lineworker Brian Lanaville cleans up fallen trees on a downed power line. Photo by Marc Hull

Northern Lights (NLI) distribution system operates in a safe and reliable manner. However, storms, accidents, trees, and other disruptions could create unsafe conditions. Damaged power lines or equipment—including underground transformers and cabinets (green boxes)—can cause electricity to invisibly spread like a ripple on the surface of water.

We ask members to stay clear of downed power lines and damaged equipment. Many hazards may exist, including step potential and touch potential.

Step potential happens when a person moves from 1 voltage “ripple” to another, and their feet experience a change in voltage. Touch potential occurs when someone touches something at 1 voltage and steps on or contacts something else with a different voltage. Both can cause serious injury or death.

If a power line falls on a vehicle, the occupants should stay inside, and bystanders should not help occupants until NLI, or another electric utility, can properly deenergize and ground the line. If occupants must leave the vehicle because it is on fire, the recommendation is to jump as far away from the vehicle as possible without falling. Then, shuffle away using very short steps until you’re at least 35 feet from the downed line.

Members should not try to clear trees off downed or damaged power lines or equipment. The wires or equipment might still be energized. Even if the line is de-energized, trees caught up in power line conductors can cause a dangerous high-tension situation between the tree and wires. Lineworkers and utility tree trimmers are trained to handle these situations and safely remove trees. Step or touch potential could also be present, which you cannot see.

Unfortunately, during the past few months, we have had a few situations where members were trying to be helpful by removing downed trees near power lines. This is dangerous. The best thing you can do is call our outage line, (866) 665-4837, and let us know the location of the downed or damaged line or equipment and what you see from a distance. If the line is in the road, call 911 so the road can be properly blocked by police or fire personnel. Keep people clear of the area until NLI can make the scene safe.

Kristin MettkeNorthern Lights Engineering & Operations Manager Kristin Mettke is an electrical engineer and has worked in the electric utility industry most of her career.