Quotables:

• Keeping the land below our power lines and near our power poles and equipment clear helps keep people safe and helps us restore your power quickly if there’s an outage. 
• Whether you are in the city or on the farm – working, storing, or building around power infrastructure can be very dangerous.

Like many of you, we’ve got some outdoor projects planned for this summer. We sat down with Kara Black, a Specialist with our Transmission Project Delivery team to learn more about rights-of-ways (ROWs), what you need to know before you start any projects, and why it’s important to keep things clear around power lines and power poles.

1. Why is it important I keep the right-of-way (ROW) clear under power lines and around power poles?

It’s a matter of safety – not just for our crews, but you and your neighbours too.

Our equipment is electrified, meaning it could cause serious harm.

When the land near our power lines and power poles is clear and accessible, it helps keep everyone safe and us restore your power more quickly.

2. What is a ROW?

A ROW is a type of easement agreement that allows SaskPower to access your land or property for the inspection, maintenance, or repair of our infrastructure, like power lines, poles, and transformers. We establish these agreements with land and property owners when we plan to build or install these in the first place.

These agreements outline a minimum ROW boundary zone that must remain clear. Any obstruction is an encroachment and poses a risk to people’s safety and our ability to complete work on the power line or any other power equipment there.

3. What are the risks of encroaching on a ROW?

Accidents can happen at any time. Whether you are in the city or on the farm – working, storing, or building around power infrastructure can be very dangerous. You could be responsible for:

• Putting your life and the lives of others at risk.
• Causing outages to you and your neighbours that were preventable, or
• Covering the cost for any damage to SaskPower’s equipment.

4. Who should I contact if I am digging?

Always plan ahead before any digging to find out where underground power lines are. You can submit a free line locate request three business days prior to your project. In Saskatchewan, a line locate must be performed if a utility line may be impacted. Work can’t begin until all utility providers have marked their lines.

Visit digsafesask.com to learn more.

5. What are common encroachments you see, and who should I contact if I’m unsure about encroaching on a ROW?

Some of the most common encroachments we see include:

• Large structures like grain bins, greenhouses, sheds, fences, or decks.
• Storage areas for vehicles, equipment or machinery.
• Hot tubs and swimming pools.
• Trees. By the way, don’t trim trees away from power lines yourself. We will do this for free.
• Sheds, greenhouses, and other larger structures.

If you’re worried that your buildings, storage areas, or structures may be encroaching, call us at 1-888-757-6937. We’ll come out and work with you to find a safe solution.

There is no charge for this call either!

When we work together, we can all stay safe.

Learn More:

• Right-of-Ways
• Digsafesask.com