Tree trimming near power lines in Pasadena: the utility's part
Tree trimming near power lines in Pasadena is first Pasadena Water and Power's job. The City owns its electric utility, and PWP routinely trims about 7,800 trees a year that could interfere with energized lines. A November 2025 City Council report notes that most of that trimming happens behind homes rather than along the street, so backyard lines are often on the utility's list. PWP's contractors must use Qualified Line Clearance Tree Workers with insulated equipment, and PWP requires an ISA-certified arborist on site as foreman. In November 2025 the Council was asked to award a six-year line-clearance contract of up to $24,415,000; twelve bids came in, none from a local firm.
Pasadena's tree ordinance makes room for that work: no permit is required for City employees or contractors to prune native, public or specimen trees to comply with state rules for trees around electrical lines.
The wire to your house is different
The service wire, the drop that runs from the pole to your house, is generally the owner's to keep clear of trees, while the utility handles its distribution lines. PWP's customer rules say so, and PWP's public advice is never to attempt to trim a tree near a power line yourself. Before any work near the drop, call PWP: the utility can tell you whether it needs to be de-energized or dropped first. Its tree line is 626-744-7938 (from PWP's site; confirm the number on your bill).
How a tree near the lines gets handled
- 1Identify the line
Street distribution lines, a backyard line or the service drop to the house. Each has a different owner.
- 2Call the utility
PWP in Pasadena, SCE in Altadena. If the tree touches a line or a line is down, keep everyone back and call 911.
- 3Utility clears or de-energizes
The utility trims its clearance, drops the service, or makes the tree safe so nothing near the line is energized.
- 4Private crew finishes
With the line safe, the rest of the trimming or removal goes ahead, and the brush and wood are cleaned up.
Costs near power lines
| Job | Price | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Utility clearance on its own lines | No charge to the owner | The utility |
| Clearance pruning by a private crew (once safe) | $200 to $1,000 a tree | Owner (national trimming guide, March 2026) |
| Tree on power lines after a storm | $1,000 to $3,000 | Owner or insurer (emergency guide, March 2026) |
| Palm fronds against the service wire | Part of a palm trim, $75 to $400 | Owner |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
treesremovalcostcalculator.com (March 2026). Quotes vary by site.
Palms often grow into lines fastest; see palm tree trimming. For general pruning, see tree trimming in Pasadena; for storm damage, emergency tree removal; for fire-zone clearance, brush clearance. A street tree in the lines is the City's; see Pasadena street trees.
