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May 5, 2023

Avangrid works with FulcrumAir to prevent bird-power line collisions 

Photo | Courtesy E2500HP and Mini LineFly installation method of bird flight diverters.
By Matt Verrilli

Orange-based utility company Avangrid and Colorado-based FulcrumAir have announced the installation of over 1,400 bird flight diverters (BFD) within Avangrid’s Manzana Wind Power Plant in southern California.

FulcrumAir installed Hawk Eye BFDs from Power Line Sentry on some of the lines around the plant. This work was completed using drones, and the diverters are designed to be constantly visible to birds in an effort to minimize the number of avian collisions.

The tent-shaped diverters fit over the power lines and have reflective strips that can be seen any time of day from all angles.

The installation of the diverters was done as part of Avangrid’s Wildlife Protection Program, to  help avoid impacting wildlife at the company’s renewable energy facilities.

Avangrid is committed to working with conservationists and local leaders to determine how to operate projects with little impact to the environment, according to the company. The Wildlife Protection Program assigns a wildlife coordinator to each facility to conduct seasonal inspections to assess any negative impacts and make recommendations to address them.

Sam Somerville, senior operations wildlife compliance manager at Avangrid, said, “The effort done with FulcrumAir at the Manzana Wind Power Project is a fantastic example of how we utilize innovative technology to protect the ecosystems in which we are present. It’s a win-win for facility operations and wildlife.”

Contact Matt Verrilli at mverrilli@newhavenbiz.com.

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