Western Power has commenced work to treat more than 19,000 power poles via helicopter across the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions to enhance network resilience and reduce the risk of pole-top fires.
The work involves applying a silicone treatment to Western Power infrastructure within the shires of Carnamah, Chapman Valley, Coorow, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Gingin, Goomalling, Greater Geraldton, Irwin, Mingenew, Moora, Morawa, Northampton, Perenjori, Three Springs, Victoria Plains, and Wongan-Ballidu.
Executive Manager of Asset Management Gair Landsborough said dust and airborne pollutants can accumulate on insulators - particularly during harvest season. When combined with light rain or humid conditions, this can cause ‘tracking’ - where electricity flows across the surface of the insulator potentially causing pole-top fires.
“To mitigate this risk and enhance safety and reliability we apply a silicone treatment to the insulators preventing ‘tracking’ and the use of helicopters allows us to carry out the work across a vast section of our network efficiently and safely,” he said.
“This work forms part of Western Power’s broader network resilience program, which aims to improve power reliability across the South-West Interconnected System.”
The current phase of work is already underway and is scheduled for completion by mid-2026. Once complete, more than 60,000 poles will have been treated since September 2023, strengthening the network and enhancing power reliability for homes and businesses.
This program complements a package of work that commenced in January to treat an additional 15,900 poles throughout the Wheatbelt region.
To learn more, including where and when work is taking place, visit our Helicopter line maintenance page.