A Victorian powerline safety program introduced after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires has cut risks across the state by 44%, a progress report has found.

The $750 million program includes the installation of “giant safety switches” triggered when lines touch vegetation and undergrounding of powerlines.

The Government says rapid earth fault current limiters are being rolled out in tranches, with more than 30,000 kilometres of high voltage powerlines in rural and regional areas to be protected by May next year.

More than 700 kilometres of bare-wire powerlines in high-risk areas have also been replaced with underground or insulated overhead conductors.

The program follows recommendation by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission and the Powerline Bushfire Safety Taskforce.

The Aurecon Powerline Bushfire Safety Program Benefits Realisation Report says the work has also reduced the risk of electrocution of people working near powerlines and has improved the overall resilience of the electricity network.