The Victorian government has embarked on its far-reaching plan to reduce the risk of electrically-induced bushfires by making the first step in its program to replace the state’s high voltage powerlines.

After beginning the process of undergrounding low voltage powerlines in 2013, the government has initiated the first major works to replace the dangerous, high voltage powerlines located in the highest priority bushfire areas as classified by the office of the Fire Services Commissioner.

Many areas that were affected by the 2009 Victorian ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires were suspected to have been ignited by fallen or clashing powerlines, which resulted in Australia’s highest ever loss of life from a bushfire.

The high voltage works that are now underway are the first in line in the Powerline Bushfire Safety Program (PBSP), which was first announced in 2011 and valued at $750 million for the duration of 10 years.

The Victorian government has made a commitment of $200 million to replace powerlines in “areas of the highest consequence risk” in the program.

The PBSP was launched following the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission, which gave 32 recommendations aiming to reduce the risk of bushfires caused by electrical assets without causing significant impact on electricity supply reliability.

The announcement of the works came from Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Nicholas Kotsiras, who said that $8.7 million has been invested in the first six projects of the program to place high voltage power lines underground by mid-year.

Mr Kotsiras said that these works have begun at Montrose in the Dandenong Ranges, with another five projects to be carried out across the Otway and Dandenong Ranges by the middle of 2014.

“By replacing these high-risk lines with aerial bundled cable, undergrounding or other covered conductor technology, we will ensure that significant powerline risk reduction is achieved before the next fire season,” Mr Kotsiras said.

According to the state government, the program will mean that electricity distribution businesses will replace high-risk, high voltage powerlines with a range of safer technologies.

These will include insulated overhead powerlines, underground powerlines and other conductor technologies.

“Electrical network bushfire mitigation activity has also delivered the upgrade of more than 720 sophisticated automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs), allowing for faster fault detection responses at times of high bushfire risk and has seen the installation of dampers to reduce the risk of lines clashing,” Mr Kotsiras said.

Dangerous Victorian power lines to be buried to prevent bushfires

Excerpt: An ambitious long term project to place Victoria’s high voltage powerlines underground is alight to prevent a repeat of the devastating ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires of 2009.

The Victorian government has embarked on its far-reaching plan to reduce the risk of electrically-induced bushfires by making the first step in its program to replace the state’s high voltage powerlines.

After beginning the process of undergrounding low voltage powerlines in 2013, the government has initiated the first major works to replace the dangerous, high voltage powerlines located in the highest priority bushfire areas as classified by the office of the Fire Services Commissioner.

Many areas that were affected by the 2009 Victorian ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires were suspected to have been ignited by fallen or clashing powerlines, which resulted in Australia’s highest ever loss of life from a bushfire.

The high voltage works that are now underway are the first in line in the Powerline Bushfire Safety Program (PBSP), which was first announced in 2011 and valued at $750 million for the duration of 10 years.

The Victorian government has made a commitment of $200 million to replace powerlines in “areas of the highest consequence risk” in the program.

The PBSP was launched following the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission, which gave 32 recommendations aiming to reduce the risk of bushfires caused by electrical assets without causing significant impact on electricity supply reliability.

The announcement of the works came from Victorian Energy and Resources Minister Nicholas Kotsiras, who said that $8.7 million has been invested in the first six projects of the program to place high voltage power lines underground by mid-year.

Mr Kotsiras said that these works have begun at Montrose in the Dandenong Ranges, with another five projects to be carried out across the Otway and Dandenong Ranges by the middle of 2014.

“By replacing these high-risk lines with aerial bundled cable, undergrounding or other covered conductor technology, we will ensure that significant powerline risk reduction is achieved before the next fire season,” Mr Kotsiras said.

According to the state government, the program will mean that electricity distribution businesses will replace high-risk, high voltage powerlines with a range of safer technologies.

These will include insulated overhead powerlines, underground powerlines and other conductor technologies.

“Electrical network bushfire mitigation activity has also delivered the upgrade of more than 720 sophisticated automatic circuit reclosers (ACRs), allowing for faster fault detection responses at times of high bushfire risk and has seen the installation of dampers to reduce the risk of lines clashing,” Mr Kotsiras said.