Ever wonder what those metal boxes in your neighbourhood are? They’re called padmounted transformers and they turn high-voltage electricity into lower-voltage, so it’s safe for use in your home.
Stay safe near padmounted transformers
Padmounted transformers are important electrical equipment. They are locked for safety and should be left alone. Don’t let children play on or near them. If you see a transformer that is unlocked or has its doors open, keep at least 10 metres (33 feet, about the length of a school bus) away. Make note of its ID number and call us at 1-866-436-7847.
Landscaping around padmounted transformers
If you have a padmounted transformer and underground cables and wires on your property, you need to landscape and dig safely around this equipment. The following guidelines can help you create a garden that is aesthetically pleasing while making sure you keep safe.
Dig safely around padmounted transformers
Padmounted transformers often have cables and wires nearby, some extending about 0.3 to one metre (one to three feet) out, or buried about 0.3 metre (one foot) deep. Damaging these can cause service outages or serious injury.
Before you start digging, always click or call BC 1 Call to find out where buried utilities like electricity cables and gas lines on your property are.
Plan how to “transform” your garden
Choosing plants carefully and thinking ahead about where you’ll plant them can help make sure their roots don’t get tangled with underground wires and that our crews can always access the transformer.
When planning your garden, make sure there is at least three metres (10 feet) of clear space in front of the transformer to make sure crews can safely complete their work, whether it’s routine maintenance or responding to a power outage or emergency.
Sample landscaping diagram around transformer, leaving three metres (10 feet) in front of doors and one metre (3 feet) of clear space on each side.
Tips for planting near a transformer
- Draw a plan that marks the location of plants, like the one pictured above. No plants should be within three metres (10 feet) of the transformer’s doors.
- Note the height of the transformer so you can choose the right-sized plants.
- Get advice from a nursery or garden specialist on the height, spread and root characteristics of the plants and how to plant them. Remember, there may be ground wire buried and you don’t want roots that can get tangled with or block this wire.
