Managing trees and vegetation around powerlines

Managing trees and vegetation around powerlines

Trees are an important part of our community, providing shade, habitat, and cooling. SA Power Networks has a role to keep our electricity network safe and reliable, so it’s essential to manage vegetation around powerlines.

At SA Power Networks, we run a Vegetation Management Program to reduce risks like power outages, bushfires, and damage to the electricity network, helping keep you and your community safe.

Why managing vegetation matters

Trees and vegetation growing too close to powerlines can:

• Increase bushfire risks – endangering lives and property.
• Interrupt your power supply – causing outages and inconvenience.
• Damage the electricity network – leading to costly repairs.

It’s a shared responsibility to prevent these risks. We work closely with councils and communities to ensure South Australia stays green while keeping everyone safe.

How we manage vegetation around powerlines

Managing vegetation is a legal requirement for electricity network operators. At SA Power Networks, we invest significantly in proactive vegetation management to ensure power safety and reliability for all customers.

Our specialist crews and contractors follow strict government regulations and industry standards to trim trees and vegetation around powerlines. This work is carried out on a regular cycle, no less than:

• Bushfire-risk areas – once per year.
• Non-bushfire-risk areas – once every three years.

You can check the bushfire risk classification for your location by visiting the Location SA Viewer and selecting the Electricity Regulations Boundaries to view.

In addition to our program cycle, we may also conduct inspections through aerial or ground patrols to visually assess the condition of our assets and vegetation that has the potential to bend or grow near powerlines, including in an emergency or after an event that has caused interruption of supply.

Our duty to manage vegetation clearance is pursuant to the Electricity (Principles of Vegetation Clearance) Regulations 2021, which require us to maintain a focus on safety and reliability, as regulated under the Electricity Act 1996.

This legislation is administered by the Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR), and we are required to comply with its requirements.

Your role in keeping the community safe

We all have a part to play in managing vegetation around powerlines. Explore these pages to learn more about:

• How SA Power Networks manages vegetation.
• Safety tips for trees near powerlines.
• What you can do to help.

Together, we can keep South Australia safe and green while ensuring the network, works.