The government has now agreed to amendments to the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, which will lower the risk of power lines from trees that are close to but aren’t immediately beside the line.
Energy Minister Hon Simon Watts says improving the current system to better protect power lines from falling trees will protect the security of New Zealand’s electricity infrastructure.
“Secure electricity lines are critical to electrifying New Zealand’s economy and delivering the resilient and reliable electricity supply we need to power economic growth.
“Cyclone Gabrielle and Cyclone Tam highlighted the vulnerability of our infrastructure to severe weather events like storms and floods. During Cyclone Gabrielle alone, trees outside the Growth Limit Zone caused power outages that left 68,000 households without heating, lighting, internet, and access to essential appliances.
“We’re taking action to deal with the increasing risk of damaged infrastructure and support our adaptation to the changing climate.”
The amendments introduce two key measures: enabling lines owners to assess the likelihood and potential impact of a fall for trees they consider could be a risk to lines, then issue a notice, and restricting the planting of new trees on land that is not already forested outside of urban areas.
“We have worked closely with lines owners and other impacted stakeholders to ensure we struck the right balance between security of our electricity supply, protecting property rights, and making sure the forestry sector’s Emissions Trading Scheme-related revenues are not unduly impacted.
“This Government has made it clear that we are committed to unleashing transmission and distribution infrastructure on our mission to electrify the New Zealand economy. Ensuring the security of our network infrastructure is essential to delivering reliable electricity to all New Zealanders.”
Insurance claims for fallen trees and branches after severe weather events are common. In general, trees themselves aren’t covered by house policies. The damage trees cause to insured structures is covered, though, as are the costs of removing parts of the tree that caused damage.
“A homeowner will generally not be held liable for damage that their trees cause to other people’s property in a severe weather event. However, if it can be proven that they were negligent in not removing rotten trees or had ignored requests for removal, then they may be held liable,” the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) says.
To reduce tree-related risks during bad weather, the ICNZ recommends homeowners regularly assess trees on their property, especially after storms, and prune or remove any that are weakened. You should also check local council rules before trimming, especially if trees are protected or not on your land. Avoid taking on large or dangerous jobs yourself—hire an arborist instead – and report hazardous trees on council property, and when planting, choose suitable trees and locations to prevent future issues.
Transpower says that vegetation management is a key part of keeping safe around transmission lines and towers. Trees growing too close to power lines may cause a fault, which will affect the
operation of the line, injury or death to someone near the tree, damage to land and property. Get in touch with Transpower and your local council if you’re concerned.
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