When CHELCO extends electric service to a new home, upgrades existing facilities, or maintains power lines, easements often play an important role. 

Easement or Prescriptive Easement - A legal agreement that allows a utility to place and maintain electric equipment on a portion of a property while the property owner continues to own the land.

In simple terms, granting an easement does not mean selling property to CHELCO. While some utilities purchase easements, CHELCO does not. Instead, property owners grant permission to use a specific area for electric distribution equipment, including but not limited to poles, wires, and transformers. 

A typical easement is at least 30 feet wide for overhead power lines and 10 feet wide for underground facilities. While property owners retain ownership of the land, they cannot construct buildings within the easement area or plant trees there once the easement is in place.

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, CHELCO works collaboratively with members to secure easements, explaining the request and answering any questions. CHELCO strives to minimize impacts on private property by using existing rights-of-way and routing facilities along property lines when practical.

Prescriptive Easements
In many cases, CHELCO relies on a prescriptive easement rather than a standard recorded easement. Under Florida law, a prescriptive easement can be established when electric distribution facilities, such as poles or power lines, have remained in place and continuously served the public for at least 20 years. Unlike a standard easement, which is granted by a property owner through a written agreement, a prescriptive easement is created through long-term use. 

Why Easements Are Important
Easements give CHELCO the ability to build, maintain, and upgrade electric infrastructure. They also allow crews to access equipment, trim vegetation near power lines, and restore service after storms. Without easements, providing and restoring reliable electric service to homes and businesses would be much more difficult, leaving some in the dark.

One important thing to remember is that easements stay with the land, even when ownership changes. Future property owners are subject to the same easement agreement.

CHELCO’s Easement Specialists often remind members that easements are ultimately about neighbors helping neighbors. Just as someone may have granted an easement to help bring power to their property, granting an easement today may help provide service to another member tomorrow. That cooperative spirit helps ensure CHELCO can continue delivering safe, reliable electricity throughout the communities we serve.