To help reduce power outages caused by animals on powerlines, we installed eco-friendly animal-proofing equipment on our power poles in 260 sites across Belgrave, Montrose, Warrandyte, Nilma and Upwey. This will help improve reliability for our communities and reduce the risk of harm to local wildlife.
What we did
Between February and June 2026, we installed:
- protective plastic guards that stop animals getting onto powerlines.
- rotating spinners that animals can’t grip onto, encouraging them to safely turn back.
- new transformer equipment designed to discourage possums from nesting.
Working with our communities
This project was completed with the support of local communities, landowners and local wildlife groups. Their help and cooperation was essential in helping us safely access sites and complete the works.
What’s next?
We’ll continue to monitor network performance in these areas to track reliability improvements and assess the long-term benefits to local wildlife.
