What we are doing about insulator pollutionWhat we are doing about insulator pollution
Insulator pollution is managed through a coordinated program of monitoring, maintenance and operational response. This approach combines targeted field work, specialist techniques and network planning to reduce the likelihood of outages and minimise customer impacts.
A dedicated, cross-functional team coordinates the management of insulator pollution across the network. This brings together operational, engineering and customer teams to ensure planning, response and mitigation activities are aligned and applied consistently in affected areas.
Customers in affected areas on the Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, the West Coast or the Limestone Coast can find out what’s happening in their area in the Latest News section, with planned work listed on the Planned Work page.
- Inspection and risk prioritisation
Targeted inspections are carried out to identify insulators and powerline sections most at risk of pollution-related faults. Inspection findings are used to prioritise assets for washing, replacement or further monitoring, based on asset condition, location and customer impact.
- Increased washing and replacement program
Manual insulator washing and targeted replacement of the worst affected insulators form a core part of managing insulator pollution. These activities are supported by ongoing inspections across multiple regions to identify emerging risks and guide prioritisation.
Washing and replacement programs are used to stabilise network performance and reduce the likelihood of repeat faults, particularly in areas affected by extended dry conditions.
- Helicopter washing
Helicopter-based insulator washing will soon be used to clean large sections of the network efficiently, particularly in areas with dense clusters of impacted assets or difficult access. This method enables rapid coverage and includes live washing, allowing insulators to be cleaned without planned power interruptions.
Helicopter washing complements ground-based programs and allows a greater volume of insulators to be addressed in a shorter timeframe.
- Mobile generation deployment
Mobile generation is deployed in selected locations to strengthen supply and reduce the duration and impact of outages while other remediation activities continue. Locations are prioritised based on customer impact, the number of customers affected, and the technical feasibility of safely connecting temporary generation to the local network.
- Operational readiness and continuous improvement
Operational readiness is strengthened during high-risk conditions through enhanced monitoring and flexible deployment of crews and specialist resources. Information gathered from inspections, outages and field activities is used to refine response processes and inform ongoing asset management strategies, supporting more targeted interventions and long-term improvements in network reliability.