More than 50 workers descended on Tasmania’s north-east to fix a coastal power line this month that has been causing headaches for years.
TasNetworks cut power to the area for about two days on November 11–12 to replace corroded equipment along Waterhouse Road between Bridport and Tomahawk.
The electricity provider says sea salt has been steadily eating away at the old insulators, leading to repeated blackouts.
Crews from four depots joined forces to install new high-voltage insulators designed to better withstand coastal conditions.
TasNetworks’ head of operations delivery Brad Walker said the lengthy outage was the best option.
“This was the largest planned outage we’ve delivered this year and our crews handled it with precision,” he said.
“Completing it in one coordinated push avoided up to ten smaller outages spread over several weeks.”
Apprentices worked alongside experienced staff throughout the job, with Walker describing it as a valuable training opportunity.
TasNetworks spent nearly $275 million on planned maintenance and upgrades across Tasmania last financial year.
The new equipment is purpose-built for harsh coastal environments and is expected to reduce the frequency of power cuts in the region.
