Helicopters are scanning powerlines across the Goulburn Valley and Murray Valley as part of Powercor’s year-round bushfire mitigation and vegetation management program.
Inspections are now underway and will continue over the next three weeks, covering areas including Shepparton, Rochester, Kyabram, Nathalia, Numurkah, Cobram and Yarrawonga.
Residents may see and hear the helicopters flying at around 300m above ground, using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to measure the distance between tree branches and powerlines.
The data collected is used to create detailed 3D models of powerlines and surrounding vegetation, helping Powercor identify where cutting is required.
“Inspecting and managing vegetation growing near powerlines is an essential part of how we keep power safe and reliable for our customers,” said Powercor Head of Vegetation Management, Ayce Cordy.
“By capturing data every year, we can track growth rates of vegetation across our network, helping us plan where to cut right now and when we may need to conduct cutting in the future.”
Each year, Powercor deploys a fleet of three helicopters to inspect 100 per cent of its more than 77,000km of powerlines across western Victoria.
Trained cutting crews are permitted to access private property to cut trees back from powerlines, as well as carry out work on public land across the network. All vegetation management must meet clearance requirements set by Energy Safe Victoria, with larger clearance distances required in areas of higher bushfire risk.
For private properties, customers are notified before any work begins. Crews then complete the necessary pruning and return afterward to remove debris. In cases where urgent cutting is required, it may not always be possible to provide advance notice.
