Bushfire Mitigation Plan – update

Powercor’s revised Bushfire Mitigation Plan is now available to view.

The document outlines how we operate, maintain and manage our electricity assets to minimise the risk of fires and keep our communities safe.

As a regulated electricity distribution system operator in Victoria, we submit a Bushfire Mitigation Plan to the safety regulator, Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), every five years. Our most recent plan was accepted in June 2020.

It was updated in November 2021 to reflect:

1. The completion of commitments arising from the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission: the successful program to install more than 1,200 automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs) on Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) powerlines, 220,000 armour rods and vibration dampers and 1,800 line spacers.
2. Strong progress in the rollout of the Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiters (REFCL) with 18 in service for the 2021-2022 summer and the program is on track for completion of the third tranche (an additional four REFCLs) in April 2023.
3. A 65% increase in the minimum number of wooden power poles either replaced or reinforced to around 7,000 annually or a minimum of 34,650 over the next five years (see media release: Powercor to deliver western Victorian customers a stronger and safer power network)

In December 2021, ESV provisionally accepted our revised plan.  Next month we will provide ESV further information they have requested to support our plan.

Summer is our most critical season as we know the weather can deliver conditions that can lead to dangerous and devastating fires. Our Bushfire Mitigation Plan informs our annual summer preparation work, as well as how we operate our network during the fire season.

While we are focused on keeping our networks safe and reliable during this summer season, we are already working to get ready for future summers with vegetation inspections and the pole replacement and reinforcement program underway.

We will continue keeping our plan updated and available for our community to review. To see our Bushfire Mitigation Plan, visit our Bushfire Mitigation page, where you can download a copy.