Safety

Minnesota Power proudly serves 141,000 electric customers
in Northeastern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin.

Safety

Call Before You Dig
Outdoor Safety
Trees Near Power Lines
Electrical Safety at Home
Electrical Safety at Work
What to Do If the Lights Go Out
Electric Universe

Safety

Electricity provides comfort and convenience to our lives - but it demands care and respect. We urge you to play it safe around electricity. Please follow these rules:

Call Before You Dig

Whether you're planning construction, gardening, landscaping, fencing or any type of digging around your home, you must call Gopher State One Call (GSOC) to locate buried electric, natural gas, telephone or utility lines. Coming in contact with utility lines can be extremely dangerous or fatal. And, repairs to damaged lines can be costly.

The call to GSOC should be made at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) prior to the start of digging. Calls can be made between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For quicker service, residents should call Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.Caution: Some lines on your property may not be utility-owned. These are considered private facilities. You are responsible for these private utility lines. Utilities will usually not mark these lines. Private lines include those running from the meter pedestal to a house, a power line to a garage, gaslines to a grill or pool heater, or LP lines.

If you are unaware of the location of private lines on your property, you will need to hire a line locator. Check your local phone directory or call GSOC for a list of locators statewide.

Outdoor Safety

Never touch or approach downed power lines. Always assume that downed wires are energized. Call Minnesota Power immediately to report downed wires at 1-800-228-4966.
Keep ladders, antennas, long-handled equipment and other conductive objects away from power lines.
Never use electric tools near water or in the rain.
Don't fly kites near electric lines. If kite string gets caught in a power line, leave it alone; don't try to remove the string from the line. Instead, call Minnesota Power for assistance.
Never climb a utility pole or a tree that is near electric wires.
Never enter a substation or fenced enclosure that surrounds electrical equipment. The fenced-off area is extremely dangerous.

Trees Near Power Lines

If trees on your property are growing into power lines, and it appears that the trees must be cut, please call Minnesota Power. It's our responsibility to maintain tree clearances within power line rights-of-way. We'll help make sure that removal is accomplished safely without endangering you or interfering with your electric service. Right Tree Handbook