New technology that dramatically reduces the likelihood of powerline faults causing bushfires is to become mandatory in high-risk areas under new regulations announced by the Victorian Government last week.

The legislation will force power companies to install “rapid earth fault current limiter” technology in 45 of the state’s most vulnerable bushfire zones.

The limiters stop electrical currents within milliseconds of a powerline making contact with the ground or vegetation.

Final testing in Kilmore in October showed rapid earth fault current limiter technology reduces by 10 times the likelihood of a high-voltage powerline starting a fire. 

The world-first technology, developed after the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, aims to prevent disasters like the deadly Kilmore East blaze on Black Saturday.

That fire killed 119 people, destroyed homes and cost insurers hundreds of millions of dollars.

State Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio says the technology will help make communities safer and increase power supply reliability.

“The need to improve safety technology in our high-bushfire-risk areas is driven by the tragedy of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to improve safety standards across Victoria’s power network to help protect Victorians from the risk of bushfires.”

The regulations will also lead to bare-wire high-voltage powerlines being replaced with safer insulation or underground cables.