Bushfire threat sparks power cut plan
Bushfire threat sparks power cut plan
05 April 2010
published by www.abc.net.au
Australia — Powercor admits it will need to consult communities on its proposal to cut electricity supplies to Victorian towns with a high bushfire risk on days of catastrophic fire danger.
The electricity provider made the suggestion in one of its final submissions to the Bushfires Royal Commission.
Overhead powerlines sparked blazes at Horsham in the state’s west, on Black Saturday.
Powercor corporate affairs manager Hugo Armstrong says turning off the power is one way to prevent the lines from sparking fires.
“It can be done and it does certainly get the electricity assets out of the way of either the fire or things which can possibly catch fire, but it’s just a tremendous cost and there are significant issues there about who should pay that cost,” he said.
“I think you can find a combination of solutions.”
