ERIE, Pa., Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Penelec, a
subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has placed markers on a
long stretch of power line in the Erie National Wildlife Refuge in
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, to
help bald eagles avoid in-flight collisions that could cause power
outages as they fly between their nest and fishing grounds.
From a hovering helicopter, contractors clipped avian flight
diverters every 15 feet along the 1,200-foot span of wire high
above a marsh in the Erie National Wildlife Refuge. The triangular
flight diverters are brightly colored and reflective, making it
easier for eagles to spot the line.
"The biology, behavior and habitat use of raptor species puts
them at risk of colliding with transmission and distribution
wires," said Amy Ruszala, an
environmental scientist and avian expert at FirstEnergy. "Avian
flight diverters provide a thickness to the line that makes it
easier for birds to see and avoid. This project is the latest in
our ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for customers
while protecting raptors and birds of prey that often live near our
electrical equipment."
Penelec crews installed the flight diverters after first
replacing several 50-foot poles with two 120-foot structures where
a power line traverses a swampy section of the refuge in Randolph
Township. The line, which feeds electricity to the Northwestern
Rural Electrical Cooperative (REC) Association's distribution
network, was challenging to repair and maintain because the shorter
poles were situated in the water. The new structures were erected
at each edge of the swamp to alleviate the challenges associated
with the shorter poles.
One of the new structures stands adjacent to a white pine tree,
home to a pair of bald eagles that have returned to their massive
nest each year since 2014. Penelec crews performed the construction
work after nesting season concluded.
Over the past five years, FirstEnergy and its electric companies
have completed more than 100 projects to protect birds of prey,
like eagles and ospreys. The work includes installing large, wooden
nesting platforms or perch arms near electrical equipment where
birds prefer to nest or temporarily rest, insulating power lines
near perch or nest locations and adding large, bright visual
markers on power lines to alert birds to the wires.
Additionally, FirstEnergy has implemented the use of drones to
complete bird nest inspections and deployed a mobile app that
allows utility personnel to report avian issues in real time. These
ongoing efforts have helped utility personnel more efficiently
identify and respond to bird activity along power lines to help
prevent service disruptions and protect wildlife.
Penelec serves approximately 585,000 customers within 17,600
square miles of northern and central Pennsylvania. Follow Penelec on Twitter
@Penelec and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PenelecElectric.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at
www.firstenergycorp.com and follow FirstEnergy on Twitter
@FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of avian flight diverters
being installed by helicopter at the Erie National Wildlife Refuge
in Crawford County, Pa. are
available on Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.