Our Daily Show Interview! Ameren Illinois: Avian Protection Program!
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ILLINOIS - Ameren Illinois has made efforts to protect birds and their equipment through their avian protection program.
Over the past 15 years, Ameren has installed 92,000 new distribution structures that are avian-safe. They work to retrofit existing structures, but they have also developed avian-safe standards when they build new structures. The goal, explained Superintendent of Electric Operations Kyle Maxwell, is to protect birds and avoid outages.
“We’re being stewards of our environment because we’re trying to do the right thing and not kill birds, eagles, hawks, all the types of bigger raptors,” he said. “We’re trying to be stewards of the environment, not kill any birds, not have any electrocutions, but it also reduces outages, which is a direct impact to our customers.”
As part of the avian-safe structures, conductors are spaced 60 inches apart. This guarantees that birds with wingspans up to five feet do not come into contact with two conductors at once.
These structures also have flight diverters. Maxwell compared these reflective objects on the powerlines to the balls that are placed on powerlines near airports. Just like the balls alert pilots to the presence of powerlines, the flight diverters discourage birds from flying into the powerlines.
Ameren also partners with state parks and organizations like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to relocate nests when needed. Ameren’s equipment helps wildlife experts access the nests, which might be located up high on power equipment. The experts then move the nests to a safer location.
Partnerships like this allow Ameren to go into schools and present information to the students about electricity safety and the avian protection program. Ameren’s Brian Bretsch explained that Ameren often partners with groups like the Raptor Center for these presentations. While Ameren officials talk about electricity and how to stay safe, the Raptor Center showcases birds and explains more about the avian protection efforts.
“It’s a great partnership,” Bretsch said. “Not only do they bring different birds of prey, maybe an owl, maybe an eagle, but they also talk about our program as well. They do talk to the young kids about staying away from powerlines, etc. It’s an absolutely perfect partnership between us and some of these organizations.”
As Ameren continues to build up their avian protection program, they hope to save more birds while avoiding outages for their customers. Maxwell and Bretsch emphasized that Ameren prioritizes the birds’ lives as well as their customers’ convenience.
For more information about Ameren Illinois, visit their official website at AmerenIllinois.com. To report a nest or an animal in or near power equipment, or to schedule a presentation for your own school or organization, call 800-755-5000.
