| Transmission & distribution
Reducing bushfire risk: TasNetworks has it covered
As climate change continues to challenge the resilience of Tasmania’s electricity distribution network and increases fire risk, network operator TasNetworks is responding by deploying Amokabel’s New Generation Covered Conductor (NGCC) for overhead lines. Experience with initial installations has proved positive
Branden Papalia Senior Lines Engineer at TasNetworks
TasNetworks (TN) – which supplies power to more than 295 000 residential, commercial and industrial customers – owns, operates and maintains the electricity transmission and distribution network in Tasmania. This includes 22 400 km of distribution overhead lines and underground cables, 227 000 power poles, 18 large distribution substations and 33 000 small distribution substations.
The island state has already seen the impact of global warming, with the average annual temperature increasing by 1.1°C since 1910. Over the same period the annual average rainfall has decreased. The result is that the number of days with dangerous weather conditions and the risk of bushfires has increased across the region. The growing risk is illustrated by a severe incident that occurred in February 2025, when dry lightning ignited more than a dozen fires in the west of the island. This caused more than 94 000 hectares of Tasmanian wilderness and World Heritage Areas to be burned.
To mitigate the impact of storms on network resilience, the risk of fire in highly vegetated areas and to preserve wildlife, TN has embarked on a proactive programme to investigate alternatives to bare wires for our 11 and 22 kV overhead distribution networks. The reason is that while bare wire has served us well for many decades, it produces sparks when it contacts dry foliage or other objects.
Wildlife is an added challenge for TasNetworks, coming in the form of the Tasmanian wedge- tailed eagle, an endemic endangered species. This magnificent bird tends to inadvertently fly into powerlines, causing them to clash.
Tree across three phases of NGCC, Neika. Outage minimal. Photo Amokabel/TasNetworks P
Sometimes the bird is electrocuted. Not only is the loss of one of these birds a tragedy, but it can also bring a fine of around AUD $100k. Another issue is with possums climbing power poles. While vegetation is top of the list for fire starts, wildlife interacting with the network is number 2.
Why not go underground? Burying cables underground significantly reduces bushfire risk as there is little interface with dry vegetation and wildlife. The challenge is that undergrounding, at over $800 000 AUD per km, is capital intensive and generally not financially viable, unless the terrain is very favorable or the undergrounding is aligned with civil works being carried out by other organisations. Another option is to use covered conductor for overhead lines in place of conventional bare wire. The insulated jacket acts as a protective
barrier that encapsulates the conductor. This prevents the release of sparks, reducing fire risk. It enhances reliability as it prevents faults arising in the first place. Furthermore, it dramatically reduces the risk of members of the public or wildlife coming into contact with the conductors. Covered conductor is well established as a possible solution in Tasmania. TasNetworks has used HVABC (high voltage aerial bundled conductor) in its distribution network since 1995. However, it was used sparingly. This is because HVABC was very heavy and tough to work with. This created challenges for installers when handling and stringing lines in the field.
A new generation of three-layered covered conductor
Considering the issues with the established alternatives to bare wires, we are trialing our first
www.modernpowersystems.com | September 2025 | 17
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