EDG West organizes a seminar “Safe Flight for Birds over Bulgaria”

The company shared its experience in bird conservation with experts, NGOs, and local authorities

EDG West organized the first seminar on “Safe Flight for Birds over Bulgaria” within the “Life for Birds” project. The event took place on 04/30/2024 in Blagoevgrad. It was attended by experts from the energy industry, non-governmental organizations, and the local government.

The purpose of the seminar was for EDG West to share its experience in protecting the life of birds, as well as to discuss current problems, and activities and, above all, to look for working solutions to avoid the conflict of birds with equipment from the power distribution network.

Currently, EDG West in partnership with BSPB (Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds) is implementing two projects that are co-financed under the LIFE program – “Life for Birds” and “Safe Flight for Danube Birds”. In the course of the projects, field surveys were carried out and the most risky places for birds along the network were located. One of the key goals of the projects is to develop a prototype of a special console to make the poles safe for birds. Installation of the prototype cantilevers will begin in 2023. Currently, BSPB experts are monitoring the effect of the new construction to determine whether the objectives of minimized bird mortality have been achieved. If the console proves successful, it will be able to be applied by other companies for which the protection of bird life is a strategic priority.

Within the Life program, EDG West is committed to securing a total of 6,600 electric poles, installing 4,900 marking devices (diverters), and installing 900 stork nest platforms within the two projects. To date, a total of 4,700 poles have been secured, 3,000 diverters have been installed and nearly 940 stork platforms have been installed on the territory of Western Bulgaria.