Hotline of power engineering specialists:
The environmental policy implementation Program of IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division envisages implementation of a whole range of environmental activities. These include measures to protect wildlife near electrical installations, within which 501 bird protection devices were installed in 2016. They are devices specifically designed and intended to prevent destruction of birds with electrocution on overhead power lines.
"Injury of birds with electrocution on power lines not only causes damage to the animal world, but also causes outage of overhead lines of 6-110 kV followed by interruptions of power supply to consumers. Smolenskenergo not for the first year has dealt with installation of special devices designed to protect birds from electric shock at its power facilities. These devices provide insulation of overhead lines from contamination and damage, do not give the opportunity to build nests on poles and cross arms of overhead lines that in many cases saves the bird life," commented the head of the production control service of Smolenskenergo Vladimir Chantsev.
The power company also uses for the protection of birds and animals from effects of electric current self-supporting insulated wire (SIW). Its use reduces the area of cutting firebreaks, and provides reliable protection of birds in the operation of 6-10 kV overhead lines. The wire is fastened with special fixtures, and is made without breaking the insulation layer, which in turn eliminates the possibility of birds’ contact with electric current conducting parts.
Smolenskenergo annually develops measures for rational use of natural resources and maintaining the necessary level of environmental safety at power facilities, and the personnel responsible for the protection of the environment, timely passes training programs to ensure environmental safety.
