PECO: Call For Help If Working Power Lines On Property
By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you're planning any projects around the electric wires on your property, it's best to call the power company first.
Trees need trimming? Putting up an addition and the power lines are in the way? PECO spokesman Greg Smore says call the electric company 14 days before you want to start, and a technician will come out and take action so you won't get shocked:
"Either de-energize a small portion of the area where that work is going to be performed, so we'll be shutting off power temporarily in order to make an area that's safe for that work to be done, or else we'll put a hard covering on top of the line to prevent any kind of contact."
With the orange covering, your electricity will remain on.
"They're made of a very hard plastic covering that allows the line to stay energized and still provide service to our customers," Smore says, "but also put up a layer of protection to help any type of issue that may occur."
If you plan to dig on your property, he says you should call 8-1-1 three days before you begin to make sure they won't be hitting any electric or gas lines that may be buried in the yard.
Nationwide statistics show that someone digs into an underground line every six minutes.