The storks are returning to their nests in the Odessa region, mounted by DTEK energy workers earlier

Over the course of the past two years, in order to ensure safety of birds DTEK Odessa Grids has been systematically mounting special artificial platforms on the power towers, where storks built their nests. It was done in late autumn and early spring – while the storks were in their wintering grounds. It helps protect birds from electrocution and company’s customers – from blackouts. In two years, energy workers have relocated over 145 nests to the safe platforms, including 119 platforms that DTEK Odessa Grids specialists managed to install in time at the end of last year within the large-scale environmental education project #EnergyWings.

This year, due to war and difficult situation in the country, in the power industry in particular, the company was unable to mount new platforms due to damage of the electrical infrastructure in many regions of Ukraine, caused by hostilities, Nevertheless, the birds returned to “safe nests”, mounted by energy workers earlier.

“The birds are returning to nests on safe platforms with their families, settling in and getting ready to laying eggs and bringing out nestlings. According to our estimates, the storks have now settled in about 80% of nesting spots on power towers. We will keep monitoring condition of nests on the protective structures in order to ensure that returning storks have a place to settle in and bring out the nestlings,” – says representative of the company.

As stated earlier, besides 119 special platforms for storks nesting, in 2021 DTEK Odessa Grids has also installed 779 bird protective devices on the overhead lines to protect birds from electrocution and 50 artificial nests for birds of prey, such as scops owls and hobby falcons, including those protected by the Berne Convention and the Red Book of Ukraine.

Energy workers plan to continue implementing biodiversity protection projects in the Odessa region after the war.