Prime Utility Rights of Way through north and central Florida

Transmission Line Right of Way Use Guidelines

Progress Energy’s goal is to provide safe, reliable and economical electrical service to all customers. Keeping electricity reliable requires unobstructed access for maintaining power lines, facilities and rights of way. The following list has been developed to provide landowners and other interested parties with a guide for the use of Progress Energy’s transmission line rights of way. If you wish to use a Progress Energy’s transmission right of way, please contact a Progress Energy Encroachment Representative concerning any proposed plans.

The guidelines presented below should be used in planning every project. However, compliance with these guidelines should not be construed as permission to use Progress Energy property without a written agreement executed by Progress Energy. Applicant(s) will be held to the guidelines in effect at the time the application is received by Progress Energy. The guidelines are subject to change without prior notice. For easements acquired by condemnation, not all of the guidelines may apply.

Progress Energy does not guarantee your requested use to be completely compatible with the safe and efficient operation and maintenance of Progress Energy’s existing and future high voltage electrical lines. Any remedial action required to resolve a subsequent conflict will be at your sole cost and expense.

Progress Energy transmission rights of ways contain high voltage power lines. Extreme caution must be used when working in the right of way.

If you have any questions regarding the Transmission Right of Way Use Guidelines, please contact a Progress Energy Encroachment Representative.

Structures (any man-made assembly), Equipment and Storage - Under limited circumstances, a structure, piece of equipment or storage may be allowed, with prior written approval from an authorized Progress Energy Encroachment Representative -- if they meet all of the following criteria:
a.       Is temporary and is easily and immediately movable at owner’s expense.
b.      Does not restrict complete access and maintenance of line or right of way, or future use by Progress Energy.
c.       Does not adversely affect the safety of customers, company personnel or the general public.
d.      Is not located under and at least fifteen (15) feet beyond the outer most conductors and does not exceed twelve (12) feet in height.
e.   Is not located any closer than fifty (50) feet from any transmission pole(s) and anchor(s) or any closer than seventy-five (75) feet from any transmission tower(s).
Structures, equipment and storage include, but are not limited to, the following: buildings, sheds, storage facilities, trailers, signs, street or area lights, hunting stands, recreational facilities, dumpsters, satellite signal receiver systems, items within storage facilities, garbage, trash, uprooted stumps, boulders, rubble, flammable material, building material, and junk or inoperable vehicles. Permanent or non-movable buildings, swimming pools, mobile homes and airstrips are not allowed within Progress Energy’s rights of way.
Immovable Ground Facilities - Under limited circumstances, immovable ground facilities may be allowed, with prior written approval from an authorized Progress Energy Encroachment Representative, if they meet all of the following criteria:

a.       These facilities must cross the centerline of Progress Energy’s transmission line at an angle of forty-five (45) degrees or greater and the edge of the item is at least fifty (50) feet from Progress Energy structures and fifteen (15) feet from anchors.
b.      All underground facilities must not extend above surrounding grade, and must be capable of supporting the vehicle loading described in the section on Pipelines below.
c.       Manholes must not extend above surrounding grade and must be capable of supporting the vehicle loading described in the section on Pipelines below.
d.      Fire hydrants, utility pedestals, or any other above ground facilities shall not be allowed directly under conductors or within fifteen (15) feet of the outer most conductors.

Immovable ground facilities include, but are not limited to, the following: streets, roads, driveways, water and sewer lines, ditches and any underground facilities. If during the construction of facilities, a customer cuts or damages the counter poise/grounding grid, the customer must reimburse Progress Energy for the cost of repairs.
Septic tanks and/or related drain fields, absorption pits, wells, burial grounds, and underground vaults are not allowed within Progress Energy rights of way.

Pipeline projects (fuel, natural gas, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water, etc.) are subject to a $12,000 preliminary review fee, plus the review consultant's fee based on the type of product carried in the pipe, the size of the pipe, and length of the pipe in the right of way. The Encroachment Representative will review your project plans to preliminarily approve the location of the pipeline within the right of way. Your application must include plan and profile drawings, cross sectional drawings depicting the proximity of the pipeline and any appurtenances to the existing electrical facilities, location maps depicting names of major streets and intersections, and a list of properties and easements owned by Progress Energy by county, section, township and range and tax parcel identification number that are involved in the project.

Underground pipeline facilities must comply with Progress Energy Pipeline Collocation Guidelines. Any exceptions to these guidelines must be granted in writing by Progress Energy. In addition, all pipeline projects must comply with the National Standards of Canada, specifically "The Principles and Practices of Electrical Coordination Between Pipelines and Electric Supply Lines" CAN/CSA-C22.3 No. 6-M91 prepared by the Canadian Standards Association. Progress Energy requires all pipelines to be installed in the outside five (5) feet of the right of way and to have sufficient earth cover to prevent breakage due to the operation of Progress Energy vehicles and heavy equipment in the right of way. Progress Energy’s heaviest piece of equipment has three (3) rear and two (2) front axles, twelve (12) rear and four (4) front wheels and weighs one-hundred (100) tons when lifting its maximum payload. In addition, all underground pipeline facilities shall be designed to support crane outrigger point loads of seventy thousand (70,000) pounds each. No work shall be performed by a dragline or a cable type crane. Refueling activities are prohibited on the right of way.

A pipeline interference study must be performed at applicant's sole cost which will include a soil resistively analysis, inductive analysis, steady state mitigation design, conductive analysis, gradient control grid design and an AC mitigation study. Additional supporting studies may be required to properly evaluate the project and to ensure technical compliance with Progress Energy’s collocation guidelines and the Canadian Standards, the cost of which will be borne solely by the applicant. Cathodic protection or other safety measures may also be required. Applicant will be required to pay for all expenses incurred by Progress Energy and its consultant during its review and safety evaluation of the proposed underground pipeline facilities.

The applicant, at applicant’s sole cost, is required to provide Progress Energy with an appraisal of the utilization area prepared by one of Progress Energy approved appraisers. Contact the Encroachment Representative in your project area for a list of Progress Energy’s approved appraisers.

Upon receipt of the application, the $12,000 fee, and the consultant's fee, Progress Energy may provide, upon request, voltage information, present and future loads, fault current studies, conductor and OHGW classifications, tower/pole configurations, spans between towers, circuit drawings, and ground impedance of towers.

A final agreement will be prepared upon Progress Energy’s confirmation that the proposed pipeline facilities comply with Progress Energy’s collocation guidelines and the Canadian standards. No work may commence in the right of way until a final agreement has been executed by both parties. Applicant is required to pay Progress Energy for the costs of hiring a Progress Energy approved inspector to be present during construction activities. A minimum of four (4) to six (6) months will be required to review your project.

Parking Lots may be constructed on Progress Energy rights of way with prior written approval from an authorized Progress Energy Encroachment Representative, and if they are in compliance with the following conditions:
a.         That the near edge of pavement shall be setback a minimum of fifteen (15) feet from the base of all poles, towers and anchors. Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis if applicant installs a barrier adequate to protect the pole, tower or anchor from accidental vehicular impact. The type and size of barricade shall be at Progress Energy’s sole discretion and the costs are to be paid by applicant.
b.         That the nearest drive lane to the overhead conductors shall be a minimum width of thirty (30) feet wide and run parallel to (in the same direction as) the transmission lines to allow Progress Energy’s trucks and heavy equipment to be able to utilize the drive lane(s) for routine and emergency access to the overhead conductors.
c.         No grade changes are permitted within fifty (50) feet of Progress Energy’s poles, towers and anchors without prior written approval.
d.         No lighting facilities are permitted within fifty (50) (feet) feet of Progress Energy’s poles, towers and anchors or directly under the conductors. All lighting facilities must maintain at least a fifteen (15) feet setback from the outer most conductors and not exceed a maximum height of twelve (12) feet above existing grade within the right of way.   Exceptions to the twelve (12) feet height requirement may be granted on a case by case basis, at PEF’s sole discretion, if the Applicant places the light structures at least fifty (50) feet away from the nearest pole, tower and anchor and they are at least thirty (30) feet from the outer most conductor.
e.         Signs and other attachments to any Progress Energy structure are prohibited.

Grading will not be allowed without prior written approval from an authorized Progress Energy Encroachment Representative. Any grading that interferes with Progress Energy’s ability to perform routine maintenance or emergency access to its facilities will not be permitted within the right of way. No grade changes are allowed within fifty (50) feet of Progress Energy structures, towers and anchors and any grading that allows water to pond or to cause erosion around any pole, tower or anchor is expressly prohibited.
a. For general purpose grading, changes in grade of more than two (2) feet, cut or fill, are not permitted within the right of way; the maximum allowable slope may not exceed a (1) foot rise/fall in elevation over a twelve (12) foot horizontal distance (12:1 slope).

Changes in grade of more than two (2) feet may be granted on a case by case basis if the proposed grade changes do not violate the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) and they not interfere with Progress Energy’s ability to efficiently operate and maintain its facilities. Additional changes in grade may be mitigated through the use of box culverts, stabilized access ramps or dedicated access locations acceptable to Progress Energy. For drainage ponds, see the Lakes section below. No grading work may be performed by means of a dragline or cable type crane within the right of way. If required by a permitting authority, it is the applicant’s responsibility to perform an endangered/threatened species study prior to the alteration of the terrain.

Fences must be installed at least ten (10) feet away from poles or towers and can not exceed eight (8) feet in height. Fences may not be attached to Progress Energy poles or towers. If Progress Energy’s ability to travel up and down the right of way is impeded, the property owner must install sixteen (16) foot wide gate(s) and be grounded according to Progress Energy’s specifications. Each gate may be secured with a chain and padlock, at the owner’s expense, to facilitate the creation of an interlocking padlock system with Progress Energy.
Lakes, stormwater ponds, erosion control facilities and dams that interfere with Progress Energy’s access and/or maintenance requirements are not permitted. Unobstructed vehicular access to the overhead lines, structures and anchors is required at all times for routine maintenance and emergency repairs. Stormwater ponds located within fifty (50) feet of Progress Energy’s poles, towers and anchors or within forty (40) feet of the overhead conductors are prohibited. Lakes, stormwater ponds, erosion control facilities and dams may be allowed in the outer five (5) feet of the right of way with prior written approval from an authorized Progress Energy Encroachment Representative, if they do not interfere with Progress Energy’s access and/or maintenance requirements. As early in the project as practical, development drawings should be presented to the appropriate Encroachment Representative for discussion. (See Sample Project Drawing)
Trees, shrubs, bushes, hedges, low-growing evergreens, flowers, grasses, low-growing shrubs, gardens or other vegetation may be allowed with prior written approval to be planted within Progress Energy rights of way must not exceed a maximum height of twelve (12) feet at maturity, and may not interfere with Progress Energy’s access and/or maintenance requirements. (See Approved Species List)
No item shall be allowed on Progress Energy’s rights of way that violates the National Electrical Safety Code.
No burning activities are allowed in rights of way.
No stock piling of dirt or materials are allowed in rights of way.
No refueling of any kind is allowed in rights of way
Access to electrical facilities for construction, repair, operation and maintenance must be maintained at all times. An obstructed, level, and thirty (30) foot wide accessway must be maintained adjacent to and underneath the overhead conductors and to each transmission structure for Progress Energy to perform routine maintenance and emergency repair.

The Bartow Anclote Hot Oil Pipeline is located in Pinellas County, Florida. Projects located in the same right of way as Progress Energy’s Bartow Anclote Hot Oil Pipeline must comply with Guidelines for Construction Crossing of the B/A Oil Pipeline. If Progress Energy determines your project increases the load over the hot oil pipeline, increases the environmental risk of the pipeline or it potentially affects other public services in the pipeline area, you will be required to encase the pipeline at your expense. All work will be planned and performed by Progress Energy personnel.
Two additional sets of drawings showing the depth of the pipe and the area of the proposed construction must be provided with the initial application. Progress Energy will prepare a time and cost estimate and you must enter into an Authorization and Agreement Contract for the work. Full payment of the contract is due prior to commencing work.
Conservation easements are fundamentally inconsistent with the requirements for the operation of an electric transmission or distribution line. Conservation easements are not permitted in the right of way