Substation upgrades for bushfire prevention technology

We’ve upgraded nine train substations with bushfire protection technology to complement critical bushfire prevention technology, "Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiters" (REFCL) being installed on the local power grid.

The installation of REFCL technology supports a critical outcome of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, to make all communities in high-risk bushfire areas safer.

Damaged and falling electrical wires are a major cause of bushfires. The REFCL technology works like a safety switch. If a power line falls, the equipment quickly activates and cuts off the power to the line. This prevents electrical sparks igniting a fire during extreme weather.

If the rail network is not protected and the REFCL system activates, rail power equipment may be damaged. There may be power outages affecting train operations and, in some cases, there is a risk that rail power equipment may fail. Our electrical upgrades resolve this.

The upgrades mean that when the REFCL system is activated in the local high voltage network, the rail power network will not be affected, and trains can continue to safely run.

Substations in Upwey, Ferntree Gully, Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Eltham, Wattle Glen, Coolaroo, Roxborough Park and Montmorency have been upgraded, with the Montmorency substation upgrade completed on 17 February, 2024.

The upgrade works included:

  • construction of a new building at each site to house extra electrical equipment
  • installation of an isolation transformer to protect the train power network if there is an incident
  • pruning and/or removal of vegetation to allow the REFCL to be installed
  • landscaping/bushscaping to offset tree removal.

For further information on substation upgrades for bushfire technology, please contact the project team on [email protected] 

REFCL image

Image of REFCL technology