Powerline work cuts fire risk

POWERCOR has installed new technology to further reduce the fire risk in key sections of the network near Geelong.

Work to install covered conductor technology is complete, with more than 17km of powerline at Modewarre replaced. The upgrade is part of a $4.2m program to install covered conductor technology.

Covered conductors — overhead powerlines with an insulated covering — are being rolled out in areas of high bushfire risk and installed when existing powerlines reach the end of their service life.

Safety and reliability of powerlines are dramatically increased with covered conductors, with a fire-risk reduction rating of more than 98 per cent compared with bare wire lines.

Installations at Modewarre, Bridgewater North and Woodvale are part of a trial to determine whether the technology can be rolled out across the network more extensively.

Powercor completed a $3.6m project in 2020 to underground more than 15km of powerlines at Paraparap.

Powercor manager network assurance Dene Ward said the covered conductor upgrade at Modewarre and the undergrounding work at Paraparap were part of a broad bushfiremitigation program that included asset inspections, vegetation management and installation of smart technology to identify faults faster.

“This technology is showing a lot of promise and avoids some of the delays we encounter with undergrounding, such as when we hit hard rock,” he said.