WILDLIFE PROTECTION
Preventing birds from landing on power lines.
This new innovative product advantages are:
- Innovative design, always corrects so that spikes are facing vertically
- The natural movement of the device, dissuades the bird from landing by supplying an unstable landing perch
- Light weight, low cost
- UV stable, time tested in the field for decades by Electrical Utility companies
- Tested in snow and ice conditions to minimise any additional load impacts on the power line
- Easy to install and fits a range of conductor sizes and types
- Snap close fasteners provide a quick, effective and low cost option for installation
Everywhere where Overhead Power Lines exist, animals, wildlife and birds can come into possible contact. Due to the nature of overhead Powerline assets, being elevated, makes them an attractive option for Birds to perch or nest. Pole Mounted Transformers generate heat, which also makes them highly sort after by wildlife especially during the cooler months. Ultimately, this interaction often proves deadly to the animal and costly to the Utility. Power Outages and Asset damage commonly occur and unfortunately for the visiting animal, it is often a life ending moment due to electrocution. One proven method of keeping birds of power lines, is to install the Bird Blocker. These devices when installed, are built to last and endure the harsh outdoor conditions that will routinely present themselves. This includes obvious ones like the sun and uv exposure, but there can be extreme heat, wind, cold, ice, snow etc. Tracking can be another potential issue especially over time, where dirt, carbon and pollutants can build up effectively reducing clearances and providing a pathway between potential differences to arc across or track. These problems are not limited to any particular type of Utility network, with Substations, Overhead Distribution and even Transmission Lines all effected. Utility Engineers have to weigh up a potential competing set of factors. By working hand in hand, Engineers from Utilities and Manufacturers, can customise or innovate new solutions to solve established problems. Neither Wildlife or Utility Poles and Wires are going anywhere. There is obviously a compromise and investment to make them safe for both reliable power transmission and lowest possible environmental impact. Established economies like the US are rolling out new and exciting infrastructure in this space which is set to re energise the Utility sector and create a flow of new investment and interest. Developing economies such as Africa are also driving electricity infrastructure investments to get power to the people. Where these assets are being rolled out, gives the opportunity for engineers and planners to design such infrastructure from the get-go with best practice mitigation and wildlife management in mind. In the end, wildlife interaction with Utility Assets is not going away and has a material impact on Utility metrics, cost and delivery performance and can put a risk wildlife. While no one perfect solution exists to eliminate this issue, there are real solutions at hand. Taking the time to analyse the issue, quantify the problem and invest into the solution will yield dividends for proactive Transmission and Distribution companies and the Environment alike. These solutions have the potential to pay for themselves and then some, in little time at all given the frequency of these interactions. For further information on what can be done, please call or email us for more information. We are happy to discuss particular issues and recommend options that work for your particular application.