Power network upgraded and fitted with bushfire safety devices

POWERCOR has upgraded the region’s power networks by constructing two new substations at Torquay and Geringhap and refurbishing the existing Waurn Ponds Zone substation.

The works include fitting the network with new bushfire safety technology known as Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter (REFCL), a safety switch that instantly cuts power if a tree or other object hits powerlines, or a line hits the ground.

The Torquay substation eases the load previously placed on the Waurn Ponds facility that fed the coast and was put under added strain during peak holiday periods when the population swells.

Installation of the REFCL devices were a recommendation from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC) and Powercor has reported it is on track to complete the rollout at 22 locations across central and western Victoria by 2023.

The company has finished its other VBRC commitments, which included the installation of more than 1,200 enhanced Automatic Circuit Reclosures; 2220,000 armour rods and vibration dampers that protect cables from bending, abrasion and flash-over; and 1,800 line spacers.

Powercor REFCL manager Luke Plocinski said the technology at Waurn Ponds and Torquay was a leap forward in terms of bushfire safety for the local network.

“These zone substations are our 20th and 21st to be fitted with REFCL technology, and there’s no doubt these devices are keeping communities safer,” he said.

While making the electricity network safer during fire danger periods or extreme weather, the upgrades also make it more sensitive, meaning outages can be more frequent and last longer as crews will need to patrol lines to ensure they are clear before they can be switched on.

Construction of the Gheringhap and Torquay substations came with a $110 million price tag and have taken over a year to complete, but enable the network to accommodate for the forecast increase of new homes and businesses being connected to the grid in coming years.

The company has reported record growth in the number of new Geelong and Surf Coast connections to the network, in 2021 alone 7,000 additional customers were added.

Forecasts are for another 124,000 people to be calling Geelong home by 204,1 and another 13,000 on the Surf Coast by 2036.