The Victorian Government has announced upgrades to powerlines in the state’s rural regions in a bid to reduce risk of fires in the coming bushfire season.

 

State Energy and Resources Minister, Michael O’Brien, said the installation of new circuit breaker technology would significantly improve safety and supply reliability.

 

“People and property will be safer this bushfire season than they were last season thanks to upgrades to powerlines that have been carried out this year,” Mr O’Brien said.

 

Throughout 2012 single wire earth return lines in the areas of highest bushfire risk are progressively having their automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs) upgraded from manual to remote controlled technology. On high risk days the fault tolerance on these powerlines, often located in more remote areas, can be reduced without the need to send out a service truck.

 

Last fire season approximately 6,000 customers were on single wire lines that had ACRs permanently adjusted for the six weeks of the peak bushfire season. This season these ACRs will be controlled remotely leading to an increase in safety and significantly improved supply reliability.