Victoria’s largest electricity distributor Powercor is trialling a new product designed to protect power poles during bushfires, strengthening the power network for regional communities in high bushfire-risk areas.
Powercor will wrap fire-retardant mesh around the base of a pole, protecting it from low-intensity grass fires. In normal conditions, the mesh allows the pole to breathe, but when exposed to heat, it expands and hardens to shield the pole from flames and embers.
The trial will focus on protecting wooden power poles in areas most exposed to grass and scrub fires, helping limit damage to the network and reducing the length or likelihood of outages for when customers rely on power the most.
It is the first time the technology has been used in Victoria and forms part of Powercor’s broader work to deliver a stronger, more resilient network as extreme weather events become more frequent.
Crews trialled installation of the mesh in a controlled environment at Powercor’s Ballarat depot in February, with the first field trials expected to begin within weeks. Initial
installations are planned for locations including the Grampians, Maryborough and areas west of Ballarat.
Head of Strategic Projects Craig Savage said the trial was about further improving how we prepare the network for fire conditions and reducing the impact on the power network and local communities when fires occur.
“Victoria is one of the most fire-prone parts of the world, and at the same time our customers rely on power more than ever, especially during emergencies,” Mr Savage said.
“This trial is about strengthening our network in known high-risk areas so we can limit damage during fires, reduce outages and restore power faster for the communities we serve.”
Almost 300 poles were impacted by grass and scrub fires across Victoria in January, including at Harcourt, Cobram, Skipton and Natimuk. While Powercor crews responded quickly to rebuild the network, in some areas, it was days before crews were able to safely access fire-damaged areas, meaning customers were off supply for longer periods.
If approved by the Australian Energy Regulator in April, Powercor plans to roll out the technology more broadly as part of its 2026 to 2031 investment program.
“This solution costs significantly less than installing a new concrete pole and provides a stronger level of protection against passing fires than existing treatments for wooden
poles,” Mr Savage said.
Powercor has more than 250,000 wooden poles across its network and expects to propose a rollout of a combination of fire mesh and concrete poles in more than 1000 high-risk areas by 2031.