General Overview
Please see below for general information regarding our grid improvements.
How will this work affect our electric utility service?
Georgia Power's commitment is to provide clean, safe, reliable, and affordable electricity. We're making new investments in infrastructure to improve the reliability and efficiency of our system and decrease the number and length of outages that customers experience. Some of these enhancements will require limited outages. If an outage is needed for our work, impacted customers will be notified.
Are other communities besides ours having similar work done by Georgia Power?
As part of Georgia Power's commitment to providing clean, safe, reliable, and affordable electricity, we will be making investments in infrastructure in communities across the state. We're continuously evaluating the electric system to determine where to make investments.
Is the property owner required to grant an easement to Georgia Power to place equipment on their property?
For Distribution projects, the easement process is a voluntary process. Georgia Power will work with the community to find locations for all needed equipment. If community members do not wish to grant the required Distribution easements, Georgia Power will explore other project alternatives.
Will Georgia Power need to perform tree trimming to support construction?
Georgia Power is dedicated to causing minimal disruption to our customers’ property. For undergrounding projects, tree trimming will be minimal. There may be some shrubs/landscaping that will need to be removed for the placement of underground equipment. For overhead projects, tree trimming can vary depending on the percentage of the tree canopy that overhangs into the required tree clearance area. Georgia Power typically requires a 15- to 30-foot clearance, depending on the type of line located in your area. If needed, trees are pruned by professional tree contractors. Georgia Power prunes trees to industry standards that were developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Learn more at www.georgiapower.com/trees.
Construction
Please see below for information regarding our construction practices.
How are you ensuring safety during this construction?
Safety is Georgia Power's top priority. Our teams will make every effort to ensure that construction equipment is adequately secured and blocked from public access. Our teams will utilize traffic control for pedestrians and vehicles, install work area signage, and place barriers in and around construction areas. We will also provide direct communications to alert individual customers at the beginning, during, and the conclusion of a project near their home.
How does Georgia Power plan to protect our property during construction?
Throughout the process, Georgia Power will work to complete the project with minimal impact or disruption to residents and businesses. Should construction activities affect a resident's or business's property, we will work directly with property owners on any concerns.
If Georgia Power repairs sidewalks where construction occurred, will they also repair existing damage to adjacent sidewalk areas?
Georgia Power anticipates minimal sidewalk damage in relation to this project. Our construction crews will repair any sidewalk damaged due to our construction but will not repair additional sidewalks in the area.
What is Georgia Power’s plan to deal with the possible dirt and other construction debris that may accumulate?
Georgia Power is committed to safely following all federal, state, and city environmental requirements. We will utilize construction equipment that minimizes the impact to homeowners, use temporary construction barriers to prevent runoff, and strategically place receptacles for daily clean up.
How will construction affect parking and traffic in our community?
Georgia Power will post construction schedules and signage and use modern construction techniques to lessen the impact on traffic. We'll work with residents to gain access along the construction area throughout the project.
Underground Lines
Please see below for information regarding underground lines.
If our lines are moved underground, will we no longer be impacted by storms?
By placing lines underground, we're reducing exposure to trees and severe weather that cause most power outages. While we expect a reduction in the number and length of power outages experienced by customers, we do not expect outages to be eliminated entirely.
If there is undergrounding happening near my property, can I elect to have my service line undergrounded?
Yes, Georgia Power customers can elect to have their service lines undergrounded, but the customer is responsible for the cost of elective undergrounding. Service line undergrounding costs are calculated on a case by case basis, based on the length of the service line and the required method of installation (open trench vs. directional bore), among other variables. In addition, customers will be required to bear the cost of any work required to pass an electrical inspection. For more information, please contact us at 1-888-404-1056 or G2GPgrid@southernco.com.
If our lines are moved underground, will the poles be removed?
When placing lines underground, Georgia Power removes all of its infrastructure that is no longer in use. However, poles may also carry street lights that will remain in use as well as lines owned by other companies, such as cable or telephone, and will therefore not be removed.
What above-ground equipment may be installed to support undergrounding improvements?
For examples of typical equipment that may be installed to support undergrounding improvements, including the dimensions of each piece of equipment, please click here.
Can I plant shrubs or vegetation around above-ground equipment supporting underground lines?
Georgia Power is committed to providing safe and reliable service to our customers. Often, crews responding to outages or other issues must access live electrical equipment housed in this equipment by using special insulated sticks and other tools that require space for safe operation; therefore, landowners will need to maintain the proper clearance, which is approximately 10 feet around the equipment.
How often do underground power lines need to be maintained?
Placing power lines underground requires minimal maintenance. Should a line be damaged or fail for any reason, Georgia Power will need to dig in the area to access and repair the line. To ensure reliable electric service over the long term, we incorporate plans for future replacements of cable that is at the end of its expected life into asset management programs.