Essential Energy issued the warning after witnessing a spike in the number of posters going up.

Regional manager for the North Coast, Brendon Neyland, said the activity posed a serious safety risk and was in breach of the Electricity Supply Act and the Graffiti Control Act.

“Access to the electricity network and the display of visual advertising are matters regulated by law,” Mr Neyland said.

“There are strict safety procedures in place for authorised employees or contractors to access or work near the electricity network, including maintaining safe clearances, wearing personal protective equipment and using insulating barriers.”

Essential Energy warned that any unauthorised contact, or near contact, with the electricity network could result in serious injury or even death and may be reportable to SafeWork NSW.

“People attempting to place posters on poles, streetlight columns, ground-based substations or other network infrastructure risk coming into contact with electrical current, with potentially fatal consequences,” Mr Neyland said.

Last year, Essential Energy, Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy safely removed just under 600 election posters that had been attached illegally to power poles.

“Where posters pose a danger, Essential Energy will remove them immediately,” Brendon said.

Essential Energy encourages the public to report any unsafe activity around the electricity network on 13 20 80.