#EnergyWings: DTEK Donetsk Grids installed a protective nest platform for storks in the village of Vesele

Purpose built metal structures prevent the stork nests from slipping onto the power lines and minimize the risks of power outages because of such events. The platform is a sturdy basket made of metal rods. It lifts the nest above the power line to a height of more than a meter and can withstand the weight of both the nest and the birds. Thus, heavy nests, sometimes weighing up to 500 kg, do not slip onto the wires. Birds are protected from electric shock, and lines are protected from short circuits and power cuts.

As residents told, a family of storks settled in Vesele two years ago. During this time, they brought out six chicks. The birds chose a power line pole for their nest. However, the locals noticed that the heavy nest took a lurch, and sooner or later, stormy wind would blow it onto the wires. And the storks themselves could have suffered. The company's energy workers moved the nest to a solid structure and fixed it on a pole.

“Biodiversity conservation is one of the crucial areas of our focus. It is in line with the DTEK 2030 strategy based on ESG principles, values, and business responsibility for progress in achieving the sustainable development goals of the UN Global Compact. The new platform in the Vesele village is another step towards preserving the biodiversity in the Donetsk region. Since 2015, we have installed 19 of these structures. According to ecologists, this saved about 200 white storks, 120 of which are chicks,” says Oleksii Degtyarev, Head of DTEK Donetsk Grids.

White storks are listed in the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and are considered to be close to extinction. Through projects such as #EnergyWings, the company preserves the population of these birds and draws public attention to the problem of biodiversity loss and the need to protect our environment.

In addition to platforms for storks, DTEK Donetsk Grids is installing wooden nests for falcon and reflective diverters to protect birds in the Meotida National Natural Park within the ornithological safety program. The company also installs bird protection devices on power transmission lines, which are casings that cover wires on the sides. By the end of 2021, the number of bird protection devices, including those installed on the territory of the Meotida National Park in the Azov Sea, will reach 1,590.

A short video of how stork nesting platforms are installed can found here.

Please, click here to see a short video of how wooden nesting sites for falcons are installed in the Meotida National Natural Park.