Winner: Health and safety - Energy sector
SA Power Networks builds, maintains and upgrade the poles, wires and substations that deliver power to homes and businesses in South Australia.
Project: River Murray Floods
Apart from the emotional and economic impacts of the prolonged 2022/23 River Murray flood, electric shock due to flood inundation of electricity infrastructure was a key risk to the community, emergency services personnel and SA Power Networks employees.
Described by government as the most significant natural disaster in the state’s history, floodwaters reached 186 GL per day, with more than 3,300 properties having power disconnected for safety reasons.
SA Power Networks worked to ensure community safety while endeavouring to maintain supply wherever possible. Key elements included:
- creation of a raft of new safety procedures for employees
- adoption of modern artificial intelligence (AI) and remote sensing LiDAR processing capabilities to help manage their response to the flood in real time
- extensive community and stakeholder engagement to manage risk, inform the community and support wellbeing.
Not one electric shock was reported across many months of flooding and reconnection of supply to some customers was advanced by up to three weeks due to adoption of modern technology.
More information about the River Murray floods project
- SA Power Networks Customer and stakeholder flood engagement
(PDF, 1.3 MB) - SA Power Networks presentation on the Murray River Flood Event (PDF, 4.7 MB)
- Media release November 2022: South Australia flooding threatens electricity supply
(PDF, 203.0 KB) - Media release January 2023: Restoring power as floodwaters recede along the River Murray
(PDF, 347.5 KB)
Watch the video: SA Power Networks uses LiDAR for flood response
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