TransGrid, the owner and operator of the NSW high voltage transmission system, is using a specialist team, high-tech equipment and helicopters to fly adjacent to powerlines in order to conduct essential maintenance and inspection work.

“Maintaining over 12,000km of high voltage transmission line is a challenging task and one which requires careful planning and expertise,” TransGrid’s northern manager Wayne Glanville said.

“A routine maintenance strategy, designed specifically for transmission structures is in place to ensure that all structures are regularly inspected.

“The aerial patrols this week are especially important to identify potential faults, allowing maintenance work to be planned and reliability levels of over 99 per cent maintained,” he said.

The aerial patrols early this month will cover Walcha, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Texas and surrounding areas.