At the time, it was the second installation of this type of conductor anywhere in the world. Covered conductor was chosen because it was designed for the harsh Victorian operating environment and was ideal for spanning long distances and retrofitting to bare lines. Spans included an approximately 330m span and a 270m span, well above average in the distribution world, and some of the longest spans in the United Energy network.
Installation went smoothly, with line workers commenting on the simplicity and similarity to handling bare conductors. Their jobs were made easier because of the high quality and ease of use of the conductor and associated hardware.
Covered conductor eliminates the risk of outages or wildfires caused by objects (trees, animals) touching power lines. It is a proven, cost-effective alternative to other power-line wildfire mitigation methods:
• Faster rate of installation
• 85% less than the cost of undergrounding
• Up to four times greater risk spend effectiveness.
