A major electricity company has been convicted of failing to manage vegetation around thousands of powerlines across Victoria, including in Greater Shepparton.
Powercor Australia was fined $2.1 million in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court for breaches of the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (Act) and contravening Electric Line Clearance Regulations.
The legal action was brought by Energy Safe Victoria, which prosecuted Powercor for 105 offences including failing to inspect 4866 spans of powerlines in hazardous bushfire areas in the Greater Shepparton City Council and Horsham Rural Council areas before the start of the 2021 fire danger periods.
The court was shown a selection of photos showing vegetation close to powerlines, including in the Stanhope, Invergordon, Shepparton and Toolamba West areas.
Powercor also failed to clear vegetation that was close to another 140 powerlines in multiple locations across the state.
More than half were in hazardous bushfire risk areas.
The court heard in one case, Powercor's failure to clear trees from powerlines at Glenmore, south-west of Bacchus Marsh, led to a fire on February 17, 2023 that threatened four homes, razed farming infrastructure and burnt 185 hectares of land, including crops and pasture.
Powercor’s defence counsel said the company was responsible for 69,000km of overhead power lines and 602,000 poles.
The number of spans it monitors in total is 500,000 with 280,000 of those in high-bushfire-risk areas.
The defence pointed out that the company had conducted a review of its operations and, following the purchase of three helicopters and introduction of laser technology, was now able to review its entire network annually, something that previously took three years.
They said the company had also taken measures to ensure cutting crews were available to remove vegetation that was deemed too close to lines.
After the finding was handed down, Energy Safe chief executive Leanne Hughson said Powercor had neglected its duty to minimise the hazards and risks inherent in an electricity network.
“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,” she said.
“By failing to manage vegetation around its powerlines, Powercor put one community in real danger and many others at risk.”
Powercor has previously been prosecuted for failing to clear vegetation from powerlines after fires at Rochester, Strathmerton and Port Campbell in 2018.