2007 - The year of living dangerously
Release Date: 21 December 2007
Western Power has released statistics revealing the number of power interruptions caused by public damage to the electricity network is on the increase.
In 2007 nearly 6500 power interruptions were caused by cars hitting poles, underground cables being damaged by digging and excavation, un-pruned vegetation falling on powerlines and most worrying, domes connected to underground lines being damaged.
Western Power spokesperson Marisa Chapman said 1719 underground power domes were damaged in 2007 and the incidence of damage to the small green domes that connect homes to underground power has been steadily growing.
“Western Power is placing power cables underground in all new suburbs and retrospectively undergrounding established suburbs through the underground power program so more underground domes are appearing in the metropolitan area,” Ms Chapman said.
“Underground domes do the job of overhead powerlines in bringing power to your home. The domes are often located at the front of a property boundary, they are approximately half a metre in height and 40 centimetres wide at the base, are often green and if damaged can expose deadly live electric cables.
“There is enough electricity running through these domes to kill. Underground power domes carry the same amount of power as an overhead powerline and if people come into contact with a live line inside one they are in a potentially life threatening position,” she said.
During November 203 underground domes were damaged, mostly by cars, resulting in power cuts to homes and sometimes suburbs.
“I am concerned that people do not appreciate how dangerous the lines inside these domes can be and I urge people to treat them with care,” Ms Chapman said.
In 2007 nearly 2000 power poles were damaged or destroyed, again mostly due to car accidents.
“On wet days in particular Western Power has recorded as many as twenty car accidents hitting power poles, each time causing power to be cut to up to 1500 to 2000 people depending on the size of the line affected”, Ms Chapman said.
Western Power urges people take care around power infrastructure to ensure their own safety and reduce the number of outages and inconvenience to others.
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If you have any questions regarding this media release please email us: media@westernpower.com.au
