TasNetworks has successfully installed a lightweight covered conductor in the Neika area to the south of Hobart to increase network resilience and reliability.

Amokabel, a Swedish specialist cable producer, has cooperated with TasNetworks to provide a fully covered conductor solution to an area previously known for vegetation-related outages. The installation is the first full-scale installation of the new generation of covered conductor in Tasmania and has been completed in an area with significant vegetation.

“The area in question is rugged and heavily treed, a perfect location for our products. Our covered conductor offers a range of benefits in terms of resilience, reliability and safety, making it a clear choice for widespread deployment, especially with the effects of climate change creating a challenging environment for our networks,” Amokabel Australia managing director Steve Rutland says.

“It was a pleasure to watch the TasNetworks team doing their first installation of our new generation covered conductor. Ably assisted by our local partners Groundline Engineering who provided supervision and training, the installation went very smoothly, a testament to the preparation done by the project team.”

The technology consists of conductive wire surrounded by an insulating jacket made of advanced lightweight insulation materials that improves reliability and adds minimal weight. This means that it can be restrung on existing poles to save the DNSP and, therefore, the consumer, the cost of replacing or adding infrastructure.

TasNetworks goal for the installation is to compare this new technology with its existing methods whilst immediately improving network resilience in the Neika area. Lightweight covered conductors are far more resilient than bare wire and significantly easier to install than older covered conductor technologies, such as CCT. It is highly resistant to dropped tree branches, a common cause of outages. The technology is also a quantum leap in safety for people and wildlife.