https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Eskom removes power line to protect endangered bird species

5th May 2017

By: Natasha Odendaal

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

State-owned power utility Eskom has removed a section of an overhead power line that posed a hazard to endangered species, the Grey Crowned Crane.

This followed an assessment into an incident reported to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) by a landowner in which a Grey Crowned Crane collided with the overhead Eskom line on a property near Hilton, in KwaZulu-Natal, late last year.

The EWT, which has worked in partnership with Eskom since 1996 to mitigate the danger presented by electrical infrastructure to wildlife, explained that field officers went out with Eskom representatives to assess the line and compiled a field investigation report.

“After deliberations, recommendations, meetings and assessments between the landowners, Eskom and the EWT, the section of power line was removed by the Eskom team, returning the site partially to its original state,” said EWT field officer Matthew Becker in a statement.

The move was described as a “major breakthrough” for the endangered birds, as it eliminated the risk of collisions in future.

Collisions with power lines and electrocutions on electrical infrastructure were inevitable with in excess of 500 000 km of power lines across South Africa.

The Eskom/EWT incident management system, or database, recorded some 2 900 incidents involving Eskom power lines, the bulk of which were mortalities on smaller distribution lines.

Becker said that, over the past 21 years, nearly 5 500 individual mortalities had been added to the database, 95% of which were birds, with vultures and cranes accounting for 25% and 24%, respectively, of the 141 species on record.

“Crane species are heavily impacted as they often fly in low-light conditions when the line is less visible,” he explained.

The Eskom/EWT database hosts various key performance indicators to track the status and progress of incident investigations and incident recommendation reports, as well as the implementation of the recommendations.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Universal Storage Systems (SA)
Universal Storage Systems (SA)

South African leader in Steel -Racking, -Shelving, and -Mezzanine flooring. Universal has innovated an approach which encompasses conceptualising,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
John Deere (Pty) Ltd
John Deere (Pty) Ltd

In 1958 John Deere Construction made its first introduction to the industry with their model 64 bulldozer.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:1.807 2.059s - 179pq - 6rq
Subscribe Now