New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY (SAFETY AND NETWORK MANAGEMENT) REGULATION 2008 - REG 12

12 Chapter 4 of plan-bush fire risk management

(1) The objects of chapter 4 of a plan are as follows:

(a) to ensure public safety,

(b) to establish standards that must be observed when electricity lines operate near vegetation,

(c) to reduce interruptions to electricity supply that are related to vegetation,

(d) to minimise the possibility of fire ignition by electricity lines.

(2) Chapter 4 of a plan is to include (but is not limited to) the following:

(a) provisions that identify bush fire prone areas and that set out a process for identifying network assets capable of initiating bush fires and a system for ensuring that all such information is kept up-to-date,

(b) provisions that ensure that network assets located in bush fire prone areas and capable of initiating bush fires are inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the maintenance schedule set out in analysis of hazardous events in the plan,

(c) provision for the review of equipment types or construction methods known in their operation or design to have bush fire ignition potential and a mitigation strategy in relation to their use,

(d) information relating to rights and duties of the customers with private lines and the dangers of trees coming into contact with those lines,

(e) provisions that ensure that any private overhead electricity lines located in bush fire prone areas and capable of initiating a bush fire are inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the maintenance schedule set out in the analysis of hazardous events in the plan, and that standards are enforced by the network operator,

(f) provision for a complaints recording system in relation to bush fire risk management and provisions that ensure that appropriate investigations and remedial actions are undertaken as required,

(g) provision for liaison and consultation with the NSW Rural Fire Service, New South Wales Fire Brigades, councils for relevant local government areas and any other relevant government departments,

(h) information for the general public about the fire hazards associated with overhead power lines and vegetation, particularly during storms and conditions of high fire hazard,

(i) a description of any special procedures or precautions proposed to be taken during conditions of very high fire danger, including work practices by staff, fault location procedures, automatic and manual reclosing of lines and protection settings,

(j) a description of the reports to be made to the Director-General in relation to the control of the risk of bush fire resulting from the network operator’s transmission or distribution system ( "the schedule of reports").

(3) The schedule of reports must include such reports in relation to the control of the risk of bush fire resulting from the network operator’s transmission or distribution system as the Director-General, by notice in writing to the network operator, directs to be included.

(4) A network operator must lodge with the Director-General, in accordance with the plan, the reports specified in the schedule of reports.

Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units (in the case of a corporation) and 25 penalty units (in any other case).