Helicopter powerline inspections are taking place across Melbourne’s south-east suburbs this month as part of United Energy’s vegetation inspection and tree-cutting program.
The helicopters are fitted with advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to accurately scan for trees and branches growing near powerlines.
The information gathered is fed back to teams that will cut the vegetation away from powerlines to keep the network and community safe.
United Energy’s vegetation management program is responsible for cutting and removal of trees near its 184,000 spans of powerlines within the boundaries of private properties and on public land across Melbourne’s east and south eastern suburbs, as well as the Mornington Peninsula.
United Energy head of vegetation management Chris Heinz said the program was a critical part of keeping the network safe and reliable for customers.
“Our work is about reducing the risk of trees and branches coming into contact with powerlines, which can lead to power outages and fires,” Mr Heinz said.
“By inspecting the entire network every year, we are able to determine where and when we need to cut trees and branches away from powerlines.”
Teams then attend each site, both on private and public property, to assess and scope what cutting needs to occur.
If crews are required to cut trees on private property, United Energy will notify customers in advance of any cutting unless the work needs to occur immediately for safety reasons.
“We work closely with our contractors to ensure branches are kept clear of powerlines, allowing for expected growth rates,” Mr Heinz said.
“Last year we cut vegetation back from more than 43,000 powerline spans and with this summer’s wetter conditions, we expect to do just as much, if not more, in 2022.”
Weather permitting, the Bell 505 helicopters fly at an altitude of just over 300 metres, capturing enormous amounts of data to form an accurate image of powerlines across the region.
The helicopters are operated by the network’s affiliate business Beon Aerial Services.
