Measures to Reduce Bushfire Risk on Electricity Lines

SYNOPSIS

EESA is pleased to present Colin Lee, a long-time electricity industry professional, who will present on the topic of Measures to reduce Bushfire Risk on Electricity Lines.

The recent bushfire seasons in Australia and America has highlighted the increasing risk posed to electricity utilities from bushfires. A major cause of the devastating bushfires in Victoria on Black Saturday 2009 were electricity assets and there were specific recommendations made by the Victorian bushfire royal commission for these assets.

Colin will go through the varying bushfire risk to the states in Australia, the recommendations of the Victorian bushfire royal commission, the measures which were adopted by utilities post the recommendations and the new technologies which are being used to mitigate bushfire risk on electricity lines. These technologies include Covered Conductors, the Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter (REFCL), Fuse saver device, Spark free fuses and surge arresters and Fault Detection monitors.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Colin Lee has had more than 41 years’ experience in the electric utility business in both transmission and distribution utilities in Queensland, with his last role as Lead (or Principal) Engineer for Energy Queensland. Colin extensive knowledge and expertise encompasses Planning, Protection, Transmission and Distribution design including the development of Policies and Standards.

Colin has been a member of a number of ENA committees and forums and chaired the Australian Standards committee which developed the overhead line design standard AS/NZS7000 and accompanying handbook HB331.

We are excited to have the opportunity to tap into Colin’s extensive knowledge and experience of design, maintenance and operation of overhead transmission and distribution lines.