Birds and future planning

NIE sympathises with anyone experiencing problems with fouling or birds striking overhead power lines. We are working with environmental groups and other utilities to research new solutions to these problems.

New housing developments

The problem of bird fouling highlights wider planning issues and, the number of new housing developments constructed beneath already present power lines.

NIE is urging housing developers and planning authorities to recognise potential bird fouling problems and to design and cost new schemes accordingly to reduce future cases.

Monitoring flight paths

New farming methods, crop rotation, feeding patterns and climate change can influence the flight paths swans and geese take, which can create problems in new areas. NIE will continue to work with RSPB and customers to monitor bird collisions and, where possible, we will fit bird diverters on new flight paths.

NIE has already taken many steps to make the lines more visible by fitting round, coloured balls to the high voltage transmission lines and reflective bird diverters on regular flight paths. This has helped reduce the number of incidences of birds colliding with power lines. 

Although burying cables underground eliminates collision risks, it is not usually feasible from technical and cost perspectives.