Private poles and powerlines are electrical equipment located on private property that deliver electricity to buildings on the property.
Property owners are responsible for ensuring the electrical assets on their property beyond Ausgrid’s connection point, including all private power poles, powerlines and pole-top fittings are in good working order and free from potential hazards.
In most circumstances, property owners are responsible for maintaining safe clearances between private electrical assets and vegetation growing on their property.
If vegetation on your property is growing near private wires that supply power to you or a neighbour, it is the responsibility of the vegetation owner to ensure the wire is clear of vegetation.
Trees growing on council land are maintained by Ausgrid or local councils. Throughout the year, Ausgrid and local councils will cut back vegetation near powerlines to reduce the risk of power outages, electrical fires, and power surges.
Property owners are responsible for maintaining all power poles and powerlines between the first point of connection on the property, such as a private pole or point of attachment, to the switchboard or meter and those that extend into your property. They are also responsible for maintaining vegetation where the trunk is within the property boundary.
To help prevent bushfires, Ausgrid is required to patrol private poles and overhead powerlines in bushfire-prone areas both on our network and on private properties in bushfire prone areas annually.
These inspections are part of NSW Government legislation aimed at reducing the risk of bushfires starting from the electricity network.
If any bushfire risks are identified on private poles or powerlines during these inspections, Ausgrid may issue a defect notice to the property owner. It will be the property owner’s responsibility to arrange and pay for an appropriately qualified contractor to complete the works required.
Defect notices can be issued for:
Ausgrid may issue a defect notice if any potential bushfire risks are noticed during a routine inspection. If you receive a defect notice from Ausgrid, follow the below steps:
Our inspectors conduct safety inspections of private poles in bushfire areas across our network. Safe installation rules of private mains are mandated by the Service and Installation Rules of NSW. We inspect for steel and timber poles for corrosion and decay.
For Ausgrid to complete an inspection they must have access to the ground zone around the pole to as depth of 30mm. Concrete can mask serious defects such as internal corrosion in steel poles or decay in timber poles. Poles with concrete obstructing inspection are flagged as potential bushfire or safety defects.
If degradation is confirmed or suspected, our inspectors will issue the customer with a defect notice requesting rectification of the issue by a qualified Accredited Service Provider.
To help prevent potential bushfire risks, our crews may need to inspect the private electrical assets on your property. This may include poles, wires and pole top fittings for potential bushfire hazards.
We will not inspect sub-mains (the powerlines that extend beyond your main switchboard) unless they are in a continuous overhead line from Ausgrid's service mains and are visually obvious to the inspector.
Due to the number of locations covered, these inspections may occasionally occur without prior notice.
All Ausgrid representatives will carry official identification, and you are welcome to ask to view this identification at any time.
You may receive a letter from Ausgrid regarding the safe maintenance and operation of electrical installations on your property. This letter is part of our Public Safety Awareness Program and notifies property owners that Ausgrid has inspected their property for potential bushfire hazards.
If any bushfire risks are identified, you will receive a defect notice.
If you receive a defect notice from Ausgrid, follow the below steps:
Private poles and overhead powerlines should be regularly inspected and properly maintained by authorised contractors. If you notice any of these common defects you will need to organise repairs or tree trimming as soon as possible:
Yes, the bushfire patrols and notifications are part of an ongoing program to reduce the risk of bushfires starting from the electricity network.
All poles and powerlines regardless of age will be patrolled and flagged for any potential risk factors.
The Department of Energy provides a list of Accredited Service Providers (ASPs) who can conduct tree trimming and electrical checks or remediation work.
For pole and wire defects refer to the list of ASP/2 Contractors.
You can also search the Yellow Pages for an 'ASP' in your area.
It’s important to complete any required repairs within the timeframe outlined on your defect notice.
If you receive a defect notice, it means some work is needed on your private poles or powerlines. As the property owner you are responsible for arranging for the require work to be completed by a licensed electrician or qualified tree trimming contractor.
However, if Ausgrid’s inspectors identify an immediate safety risk to life or property from your private poles and powerlines, we may need to disconnect your power supply until the immediate safety risk is removed.
If you have been unable to secure a qualified contractor to complete works you can request Ausgrid undertake the required repairs on your behalf but you will be required to pay for the repairs to be completed.
Once your defect has been repaired, please email paperwork and photographs confirming this to privatemains@ausgrid.com.au
Depending on the nature of work you may need to provide Ausgrid with:
Ausgrid will issue a defect notice if an inspection has determined there is a bushfire risk. This may be due to:
In the interests of public safety, connections to Ausgrid’s electricity network must comply with all relevant safety standards. This includes the Electricity Supply Act 1995 , the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2006 and Australian Standards and guidelines.
If we find any defects, we will leave you a defect notice outlining the work that is required. As the property owner, you are responsible for engaging a qualified contractor to carry out the required works in the timeline outlined on the defect notice.
As a community, we share responsibility for reducing the risk of bushfires.
Property owners are responsible for the safe maintenance and operation of electrical installations on their premises. This includes maintaining safe clearances between private poles, overhead powerlines and any vegetation on your property.
All power poles and powerlines between the first point of connection on the property to the switchboard or meter and those that extend into your property are part of your electrical installation and you must ensure they are safe and properly maintained.
Ausgrid is responsible for maintaining and repairing its electricity network in the street.
The NSW Electricity Supply Act 1995 requires property owners to respond to defect notices within 30 days.
You must contact Ausgrid within 30 days of receiving the notice to let us know that the work has been done or will be done within 60 days of the date the notice was issued.
As an alternative, you may request that the property is disconnected within 30 days of the defect notice being issued.
If electrical equipment is damaged, you will need to arrange repairs by a licensed electrical contractor. It is dangerous and illegal to attempt to carry out any electrical repairs yourself.
If you require financial assistance to complete the works please view Customer Assistance Framework or call us on 13 13 65 for more information.
We can complete some above-ground inspections from the property boundary. This includes any sub-mains on the property that may provide power supply to a pump or shed.
We will not inspect sub-mains beyond the main switchboard or metering unit unless they are in a continuous overhead line from Ausgrid’s service mains and are visually obvious to the inspector.
We may need to enter your property for private poles and overhead powerlines that can’t be seen easily from the boundary. You don’t need to be present for the patrol. Please let us know if our inspectors are restricted from accessing your property – for example by locked gates, livestock or dogs – and we will work with you to complete our inspection at a suitable time.
Under the Electricity Supply Act 1995, Ausgrid is authorised to enter private property to carry out bushfire prevention inspections without written notice if required.
Depending on the type and size of vegetation on your property that needs to be removed you may need to seek permission from your local council.
As the defect notice will cover work required under the NSW Electricity Supply Act 1995, a qualified contractor is able to trim trees and shrubs to provide a safe clearance around powerlines and power poles, including an allowance for regrowth, without approval from a local council. However, the Ausgrid defect notice does not exempt you from local tree preservation orders. You may need council permission to remove trees. You may also need permission to trim trees if your property is subject to heritage controls or has threatened species and endangered vegetation.
The defect notice does not authorise you to have a qualified tree contractor clear more broadly on your property. Please talk to us about your specific property if you need to clarify what vegetation is covered by the defect notice.
You may need to modify your power supply if the tree poses a bushfire hazard. For example, you may prefer to install your power supply underground. Please contact us if you wish to discuss these options further.
Live powerlines are extremely dangerous and contact with them can be fatal. Electricity can also jump, so you don’t have to be touching powerlines to receive an electric shock. Tree trimmers qualified to work around the electricity network have special training and equipment to help keep themselves and the community safe. Please do not attempt this work yourself.
A qualified inspector can check your poles and pole-top fittings and powerlines for any bushfire hazards. Please do not attempt to check this yourself.
Ausgrid identifies defects through bushfire safety patrols, and it is important that they are addressed promptly. These patrols are part of a coordinated program to reduce the risk of bushfires posing a threat to the community, homes and property, livestock and native flora and fauna. As electrical equipment are exposed to heat, wind and rain, they need to be regularly maintained to ensure they stay in good working order. Some problems are not immediately apparent and can only be identified by qualified inspectors and contractors .
Both property owners and tenants are responsible for the safe maintenance and operation of electrical installations located on their premises. If you have received a letter or defect notice it is because the letter is sent to or left at the property address.
It is the property owner's responsibility to comply with any direction included in a defect notice. If you are a tenant, you should forward the letter or notice to the property owner, property manager or your landlord as soon as possible and follow up until the matter is resolved.
