Transgrid annual bushfire inspections take to the sky

The helicopter inspections will begin flights across parts of the ACT, Snowy Mountains and Southern Highlands and the Illawarra/Shoalhaven regions before moving to other parts of NSW.

Transgrid General Manager of Maintenance Ian Davidson said: “Transgrid takes the risk of bushfires very seriously and the safety of our people and local communities around our network is our highest priority.

“Every year we commit significant resources to inspect the network and carry out any necessary vegetation management and maintenance work to reduce the risk of bushfires in the lead up to summer,” Mr Davidson said.

The comprehensive inspections help identify any potential bushfire risks and assess the condition of towers and transmission lines.

Between March and August, specialist teams will inspect transmission lines and infrastructure on Transgrid’s 13,000km network - equivalent to the distance from Sydney to Mexico City - to help identify trees or vegetation growing too close to lines and check for any maintenance issues.

“People may see the helicopter flying along transmission lines so crews can inspect them and take photos to help identify any potential issues so we can proactively respond to addressing any bushfire risks.

“We’d like to thank the community for their patience and understanding as we carry out these critical inspections to keep everyone safe,” he said.

The helicopter will fly above transmission lines at about 50 kilometres per hour.

For more information, please contact Transgrid’s toll-free hotline on 1800 222 537.

More details on the flight schedule can be found on the managing bushfire risk page. 

Transgrid media contact:

Mark Nolan 0429 047 136