2023-05-20 07:41:00
A helicopter placed beacons on a high voltage line to allow birds to spot them on the links between Awirs and Ampsin. These beacons reduce the number of birds killed by hitting high voltage wires by 90%.
Suspended 40 meters above the ground, two technicians grip a high voltage cable on which the electricity has been cut off. In a few seconds, they place a kind of plastic tube of red or white color which must scare the birds. Then they deviate and start once more 25 meters further.
The mandated company is French, and their expertise is international. “This is the device that we will install on the cable. This makes it easier for birds to locate the cable and the device will also vibrate according to the evolution of the cable over time”explains Christopher Djezzar, maintenance technician.
Takeoff is certainly one of the most dangerous parts of the operation. All of this energy binge is meant to ward off the birds for their own protection. Because on his sons they can be electrocuted or seriously injured. On the stretch of just a few kilometers between Awirs and Ampsin alone, nearly a hundred birds die each year. “By placing these beacons 20 meters apart, these birds can see the lines and avoid them. We thus reduce nearly 90% of collisions between birds and our lines”explains Jean Fassiaux, Elia spokesperson.
These Avifaunas, as they are called, are not to be confused with the balls that can sometimes be seen on cables much higher. In this case, these are signals for aircraft.
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