Branches falling or flying loose in strong winds can bring down powerlines, cause power outages or spark grass fires. It's our responsibility to make sure the areas around our poles and wires is clear and safe, so we regularly inspect vegetation and cut it back.
As we face more extreme weather, it's important that our inspection technology is the best it can be. That's why we're proposing a $72 million investment in aerial inspections and technology to ensure we manage the bushfire and compliance risks from vegetation clearances.
What you told us
- You value reliability, safety and resilience
- You want an uninterrupted and secure electricity supply that stands strong against severe weather
- You expect us to minimise the impact of extreme weather events
- You expect that we manage the network safely and in accordance with compliance obligations
What we're proposing
 | Increasing the volume of vegetation cutting Our use of new technologies (such as LiDAR) is allowing us faster and more accurate visibility of our network, meaning we can better target and manage risk. The use of technology, however, naturally identifies more known-unknowns (technical non-compliances) that we previously had no ability to identify. We're proposing additional expenditure to increase the volume of cutting undertaken, further reducing risks from vegetation clearance. |
 | Seeking amendments to the Electricity Safety Code We are also seeking amendments to the Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations to better support the role of technology in managing vegetation clearance risks. The existing Code is due to sunset in mid-2025, with revisions subject to a public Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). |
