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Hundreds of Lancashire
residents are set to benefit from major power project
MORE than 300 homes and businesses are
set to benefit from a £171,000 major investment to rebuild and upgrade the local
power network in Holmeswood and Bickerstaffe, in West Lancashire.
Yesterday engineers from the region's power network operator, ElectriCity North
West, started to upgrade 4km of overhead power lines and 60 electriCity poles
which have been supplying power to the area for more than 50 years.
As part of the vital 3 month project, engineers will also be installing around
300 special bird diverters to the overhead power lines to help protect birds
near WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.
More than 350 bird diverters have already been installed in the area following a
study that revealed they help protect migrating birds and reduce the number of
power cuts caused by bird collisions.
Adrian Rowley, head of secondary capital for ElectriCity North West, said:-
"This is great news for both our customers in West Lancashire and the 30,000
swans and geese that migrate to the area every year.
The network has served customers well since the 1960's, but it's essential that
we invest in the network to ensure they continue to enjoy a reliable power
supply to their homes. It is also a great opportunity to install these special
diverters which help raise the visibility of our power lines and therefore help
protect birds by preventing collisions which can also sometimes cause power
cuts."
Over the last 2 years ElectriCity North West
has worked closely with WWT Martin Mere to help protect birds by installing
diverters and studying factors affecting collision risk, which was the first
study of its kind in the country.
WWT Martin Mere Centre Manger, Nick Brooks, said:-
"Working with ElectriCity North West to trial bird diverters on power lines has
helped to ensure the long term protection of these birds as they fly through
Lancashire and Sefton over the autumn as well benefitting local communities.
This has been a flagship research project and we are looking forward to
continuing this relationship for many years to come."
West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper, said:- "I very much welcome the continued
investment by ElectriCity North West to upgrade the electriCity supply
infrastructure across West Lancashire that will improve the reliability of the
power supply in rural communities, which I know can experience a loss of power
supply when there are bird collisions with overhead cables. The action
ElectriCity North West is taking to tackle this problem is to be commended."
If customers have any queries about the project, they can call ElectriCity North
West on:- 0800 195 4141 or follow @ElectricityNW.
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