VIC:$1b plan to reduce powerline risk

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2011
VIC:$1b plan to reduce powerline risk

Victorians in bushfire prone areas will pay a few dollars more on their annual power
bills to help fund part of a one billion dollar government plan to stop powerlines sparking
fires.

Nearly three years after the Black Saturday bushfires, the government has announced
it will spend up to 200 million dollars replacing the state's most dangerous powerlines
over the next 10 years.

It's seeking an additional 250 million dollars from the federal government to expand
the replacement program.

The government will also require the state's regional electricity distribution businesses
- SP Ausnet and Powercor - to invest an estimated 500 million dollars in asset protection
and control equipment.

It's estimated this will see residents pay an extra one-dollar-30 on their electricity
bill in the first year, and up to 13 dollars more in the eleventh year of the program.

A Powercor spokesman says they're working through the details of the government's plan
and says any cost to customers would be negligible.

AAP RTV ce/gfr/sw

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES BLACK POWER (MELBOURNE)

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