Western Power has issued defect notices to hundreds of households in Western Australia, prompting the costly replacement of private power poles. 

An initiative began in 2021 after electricity distributor Western Power was found liable for damage caused by the Parkerville bushfires. 

The company says that nearly 100,000 out of 150,000 private power poles in the state have been assessed, resulting in over 25,000 notices recommending replacement.

Private power poles, located on private land, support auxiliary cables connecting homes to Western Power's main lines. 

More than 400 homeowners received 30-day replacement notices, while 360 were given 90-day notices. One in four assessed poles were considered defective.

Archana Viswa, Western Power's head of asset performance, says that maintaining private poles is the homeowner's responsibility, highlighting the safety risks posed by damaged or degraded poles, including the potential for bushfires and electric shocks.

Homeowners who refuse to address these issues may face power disconnection.

Western Power's actions were prompted by a 2021 Court of Appeals decision that found Western Power liable for the 2014 Parkerville bushfires, where a privately owned pole was deemed to have contributed to the blaze. 

This decision emphasised the duty of both Western Power and landowners to inspect, maintain, and repair or replace these poles to ensure electrical assets' safety.