Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Amendment Regulations 2015 (Vic)

Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Amendment Regulations 2015

S.R. No. 68/2015

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Regulation  Page

1Objective

2Authorising provision

3Commencement

4Principal Regulations

5Prescribed particulars for bushfire mitigation plans—major electricity companies

6New regulation 7A inserted

7Prescribed standards of inspection

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Endnotes

STATUTORY RULES 2015

S.R. No. 68/2015

Electricity Safety Act 1998

Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Amendment Regulations 2015

The Governor in Council makes the following Regulations:

Dated: 23 June 2015

Responsible Minister:

LILY D'AMBROSIO
Minister for Energy and Resources

YVETTE CARISBROOKE

Clerk of the Executive Council

1Objective

The objective of these Regulations is to amend the Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Regulations 2013—

(a)to prescribe the information about accepted bushfire mitigation plans which major electricity companies must make publicly available; and

(b)to amend the prescribed standards for inspection of private electric lines.

2Authorising provision

These Regulations are made under section 157 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998.

3Commencement

These Regulations come into operation on 29 June 2015.

4Principal Regulations

In these Regulations, the Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Regulations 2013[1] are called the Principal Regulations.

5Prescribed particulars for bushfire mitigation plans—major electricity companies

After regulation 7(1)(d) of the Principal Regulations insert—

"(da)the telephone number of the major electricity company that members of the public can call in an emergency that requires action by the major electricity company to mitigate the danger of bushfire;".

6New regulation 7A inserted

After regulation 7 of the Principal Regulations, insert—

"7A      Prescribed information about bushfire mitigation plans to be made publicly available by major electricity companies

For the purposes of section 113A(3) of the Act, the following information specified in a major electricity company's accepted bushfire mitigation plan is the prescribed information about the plan—

(a)the name, address and telephone number of the major electricity company;

(b)the telephone number that members of the public can call in an emergency that requires action by the company to mitigate the danger of bushfire;

(c)the company's bushfire mitigation policy;

(d)the objectives to achieve mitigation of fire danger arising from the company's supply network;

(e)the description, map or plan of the land to which the plan applies;

(f)the company's preventative strategies and programs to minimise the risk of the company's supply networks starting fires;

(g)the company's plan for inspection of its supply network;

(h)the details of the processes and procedures for ensuring that each person who is assigned to carry out inspections under the plan referred to in paragraph (g) and of private electric lines has satisfactorily completed a training course approved by Energy Safe Victoria and is competent to carry out such inspections;

(i)the details of the processes and procedures for ensuring that persons (other than persons referred to in paragraph (h)) who carry out or will carry out functions under the plan are competent to do so;

(j)the company's operation and maintenance plans for its supply network in the event of a fire, during a total fire ban day and during a fire danger period;

(k)the investigations, analysis and methodology adopted by the company for the mitigation of the risk of fire ignition from its supply network;

(l)the company's policy in relation to the assistance to be provided to fire control authorities in the investigation of fires near the company's supply network;

(m)the details of the processes and procedures for enhancing public awareness of—

(i)the responsibilities of owners of private electric lines that are above the surface of the land in relation to maintenance and mitigation of bushfire danger; and

(ii)the obligation of the major electricity company to inspect private electric lines that are above the surface of the land within its distribution area.".

7Prescribed standards of inspection

(1)For regulation 10(1)(d) of the Principal Regulations substitute—

"(d)in the case of a line that is horizontally constructed with bare open wire conductors, that a low voltage conductor spreader is fitted to each span of the line; and

Note

Regulation 220(2)(a) of the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009 provides for the fitting of a spreader to each span of a private aerial line that is horizontally constructed with bare open wire conductors.".

(2)For regulation 10(2) of the Principal Regulations substitute—

"(2)In this regulation—

bare open wire has the same meaning as in the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009;

conductor spreader has the same meaning as in the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009;

hazard tree means a tree referred to in clause 8 of the Code;

horizontally constructed has the same meaning as in the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations 2009.".

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Endnotes

[1] Reg. 4: S.R. No. 62/2013.