Powercor failed to keep trees clear of powerlines: Fined $2.1 million

A Shepparton magistrate has found Powercor’s failure to clear lines could have been “disastrous”.

Powercor failed to inspect almost 5000 powerlines and keep clear of more than 100 other lines, including one span at Glenmore where a destructive fire broke out in February last year destroying property and crops.

Electricity distributor Powercor has been fined $2.1 million this week for failing to keep vegetation clear of thousands of powerlines across Victoria, with a court finding the consequences could have been disastrous.

Energy Safe Victoria prosecuted Powercor for 105 offences, including failing to inspect almost 5000 powerlines and failing to clear vegetation from more than 100 other lines, including one span at Glenmore where a destructive fire broke out in February last year destroying property and crops.

While powerlines account for less than 5 per cent of fires in most years, the 2009 royal commission into Victoria’s 2009 Black Saturday found “on catastrophic fire days electrical assets are likely to cause a large proportion of the fires that start”.

Shepparton Magistrate’s Court magistrate Bhai noted Powercor’s early guilty plea to all charges, but rejected its claim its offending was at the lower end of the scale.

Magistrate Bhai found the consequences of the risks posed by Powercor could have been “disastrous”, noting many of the offences had occurred in hazardous bushfire risk areas, and come in fire danger periods.

Energy Safe chief executive Leanne Hughson said Powercor had neglected its duty to minimise the hazards and risks inherent in an electricity network.

“Any electricity company that chooses to do business in Victoria has to comply with the safety laws in this state.  The community deserves it, Energy Safe demands it.” Ms Hughson said.

“Victoria is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world and electricity companies have a duty to prioritise public safety and minimise fire risks.

“By failing to manage vegetation around its powerlines, Powercor put one community in real danger and many others at risk.”

“The length of uninspected lines was roughly the distance from Melbourne to Sydney – that’s an inexcusable failure and unacceptable risk to a lot of people’s safety,” Ms Hughson said.

“As the Glenmore fire showed, neglecting even one span of electric line can have dire consequences.”

Magistrate Bhai also noted that it was not the first time a bushfire had been caused by Powercor’s infrastructure.

Powercor has previously been prosecuted for failing to clear vegetation from powerlines after fires at Rochester, Strathmerton, and Port Campbell in 2018.