May 29, 2013
Ergon Energy is expected to start trials soon of a life-saving device the State Government says could stop overhead powerline faults from causing bushfires.
Science Minister Ian Walker said the Siemens Fusesaver Remote Control Unit was designed to help electrical utilities manage their networks to reduce the risk of electrical faults starting bushfires.
“Electrical faults on power lines are a big issue especially in the bush where overhead lines cross vast distances of remote country. For example, when tree branches come down in severe weather it can take considerable time and effort to locate the fault,” Mr Walker said.
An electrical fault on overhead power lines is believed to have contributed to the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2008 which killed 173 people.
The Fusesaver Remote Control Unit works in conjunction with the Fusesaver, recognised as the world’s fastest medium voltage circuit breaker for overhead lines.
The remote control works by allowing a central control centre to remotely access Fusesavers installed on the distribution network.
This lets an electricity utility gather data from the network, react to problems and to either operate the Fusesavers remotely or change settings to adjust to network requirements, such as high bushfire risk days.
Mr Walker said the Fusesaver was originally conceived by small Brisbane company Kaon Holdings.
“The company’s R&D caught the attention of German technology giant Siemens which in September last year bought Kaon Holdings as an intellectual property based acquisition,” Mr Walker said.
Business Manager at the Siemens factory at Loganholme, Dr Brett Watson, said electrical utilities in Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand had already purchased the technology.
In Queensland, Energex and Ergon are expected to trial the technology over the next 12 months.
“We welcome the government’s support of local innovation and for being interested in our technology that will increase network reliability, productivity and safety in high-risk bushfire areas to provide a sustainable electricity supply in the future,” Dr Watson said.
