Development in compliance with the sustainable development principles remains our key goal, despite the challenges of war, – DTEK Grids

Thermal power generation26 November 2024

Despite the challenges of the full-scale war, DTEK Grids DSO continue to modernize the energy infrastructure, introducing digital technologies and following sustainable development principles, supporting biodiversity in particular. Olena Potapenko underscored the importance of these matters in her speech at the international conferences regarding preservation of biodiversity by the energy companies.

The head of the environmental safety division at DTEK Grids took part in the Advisory Board Workshop of the LIFE Danube Free Sky project and 15th MAVIR Conference on bird protection. Together with 120 representatives of global energy companies, manufacturers of equipment and ornithologists, they discussed introduction of ESG initiatives related to protection of biodiversity on the power lines and implementation of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

“Development in compliance with the sustainable development principles remains our key goal, despite the challenges of war. We gradually implement projects on protection of vulnerable bird species, storks in particular. Energy workers inspect power lines, install bird-protecting devices and artificial nests. Such measures not only help maintain electricity in our customers’ homes, but also save birds’ lives. During 11 years of the #EnergyWings project implementation, nearly 20,000 storks took wing thanks to the efforts of DTEK Grids Distribution System Operators,” – noted Olena Potapenko, head of the environmental safety division at DTEK Grids, during her speech.

Among examples of sustainable development and responsible approach to nature is an #EnergyWings project, which has been implemented by DTEK Grids DSO for 11 years, even during the war. Its main objective is to preserve population of white stork in Ukraine. The project united efforts of business, future generations of Ukrainians and modern art to draw public attention to the problem of biodiversity reduction.

Since 2013, the company installed over 680 platforms for stork nests on the poles, using special steel structures. In the summer of 2023, DTEK Grids together with the Western Ukrainian Ornithological Society joined an international project of the Polish Ornithological Society (Małopolskiego Towarzystwa Ornitologicznego). Within the framework of this project, energy workers helped ring 166 stork chicks in Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk regions, contributing to the study and protection of white stork.

Besides, energy workers make provisions for installation of bird-protective devices during reconstruction of power lines, where emergency outages used to happen due to the death of birds. This not only helps save their lives, but also improves reliability of power supply, reducing risks of emergencies.

European partners stated their fascination with devotion and courage of Ukrainian energy workers, who, even during the war, not only restore the grids but also support global initiatives to preserve the nature.