Power and Water general manager power networks Bertram Birk said that the majority of power outages in rural areas are caused when animals or branches fall onto or cluster around powerline insulators. "When this happens, a bridge is formed from the conductor to the cross arms, which can cause a short circuit in the high voltage system," said Mr Birk. "The fibreglass crossarms will significantly reduce the number of power outages as fibreglass is inert and will not conduct electricity. This will also prevent a lot of power outages currently caused by lightning strikes. "Crossarms, located on the top of powerpoles, to which insulators and conductors are attached, are currently made from steel or timber. "These fibreglass crossarms, manufactured by Wagners CFT Manufacturing, are light weight and their insulating properties make them easier and safer to handle during installation, especially with live-line work.
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