The Powerline Replacement Fund (PRF) will see powerlines in the highest risk bushfire areas replaced with insulated overhead, underground powerlines or new conductor technologies.

Funding for the $200 million PRF is being directed in stages to priority areas identified in conjunction with the Emergency Management Commissioner, Energy Safe Victoria, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and technical experts.

The Fund is directed at replacing both High Voltage and Private Overhead Electric Lines in highest priority Local Government Areas.

By June 2019, the PRF will have retired 192km of bare-wire Private Overhead Electric Lines on 797 private regional properties. The POEL funding is allocated to the following Local Government Areas:

Alpine Greater Bendigo Murrindindi
Ararat Greater Geelong Nillumbik
Ballarat Hepburn Pyrenees
Baw Baw Indigo Surf Coast
Benalla Loddon South Gippsland
Campaspe Macedon Ranges Southern Grampians
Cardinia Mount Alexander Wangaratta
Colac-Otway Mitchell Wellington
Corangamite Moorabool Wodonga
East Gippsland Moyne Whittlesea
Golden Plains Moira Yarra Ranges

In addition, the PRF is also retiring High Voltage lines and by December 2019, will have targeted nine areas across regional Victoria. These areas include: Chilton, Dandenongs, Healesville, Kinglake, Kyneton, Maldon, Otways, Warburton and Warrandyte.

By project completion, the PRF will have retired 555 km of single wire earth return or 22kV powerlines, representing a total of 65 powerline infrastructure projects.

FAQs for POEL Owners and RECs

Applications Now Closed

The Private Overhead Electric Line scheme is now closed and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning  is not accepting any new applications.

Videos

Powerline Replacement at Grassmere

Watch this timelapse video showing the replacement of bare-wire powerlines in Grassmere, Victoria as one of the many replacement projects to safeguard regional communities against powerlines starting bushfires.

Private Overhead Electrical Line

See the complex works in action, replacing a private overhead electrical line in Seymour, Victoria including the removal of volcanic rock, crossing a riverbed and observing a heritage building.

See the Private Overhead Electrical Line transcript

High Voltage Line - working to make communities safer

Experience the replacement of high voltages powerlines in the Victorian Otway Ranges with aerial views showing what works look like from all angles.

See the High Voltage Line video transcript

Page last updated: 22/11/19