Nesting pole with new platform
A new nesting platform moved the birds away from energized equipment and helped prevent outages on a key circuit.
A new nesting platform near Hyco Lake is helping protect both wildlife and electric service reliability by keeping ospreys away from energized equipment on a key distribution circuit. Piedmont Electric Cooperative crews installed the platform in early April after an osprey began building a nest on a three-phase breaker pole serving customers on the Semora Circuit.
The pole has a history of issues. A nest at the same location last year contributed to a two-hour outage that originated at the station and caused blinking lights for about 300 members. Because ospreys and active nests are protected under federal law, crews have limited options once eggs are laid or young chicks are present.
Line Technician Kevin Snead first noticed the bird carrying sticks in late March and alerted management so a plan could be developed before the nest was fully established.
Before the relocation effort was completed, nest activity contributed to an outage affecting about 300 members. Crews restored service and installed rubber hoses on the lines as a temporary protective measure while a long-term solution was developed.
Ultimately, the Piedmont Electric team worked with trusted partners at Utility Service Agency and Preformed Line Products to install a separate nesting pole with a platform approximately 50 feet high to encourage the birds to move away from the energized equipment.
“Our goal was to respond in a way that was thoughtful, safe and responsible,” said Jarrod Kilgore, vice president of engineering and operations. “The nesting platform allowed us to respect and protect the ospreys while also reducing the risk of future outages for members living in the area around Hyco Lake. We are happy to see that they have taken up residence in the new home we provided.”
After installation, crews added sticks to the platform to simulate early nest construction. The ospreys soon shifted their attention to the new structure.
The platform has reduced the risk of future outages on the breaker pole while providing a safer nesting alternative near Hyco Lake.