Summary
Avian electrocution can occur when the fleshy, conductive parts of a bird make simultaneous contact with two energized conductors or a conductor and a ground. The dangers associated with avian electrocution include ignitions and wildland fires, which have been documented in countries including the United States, Spain, and Australia. Utility companies seeking to quantify and reduce the risk of avian-caused ignitions and wildfires may benefit from methods for assessing the relationship between structures’ geometric configurations and their associated risk of avian electrocution. This paper presents a quantitative method for assessing how changes to the geometric configuration of transmission and distribution structures – such as horizontal and vertical phase spacing of conductors – affect the rates at which birds of different species bridge phases, thereby electrocuting themselves and potentially causing ignitions. We first identify and illustrate four avian electrocution mechanisms, which we call Geometric Cases.
Read more Read lessWe then use Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the probability of electrocution considering uncertainty in bird anatomical dimensions and bird positions on transmission or distribution structures. Quantifying changes to the probability of avian electrocution that result from different mitigation measures will inform cost-benefit analyses and help decision-makers select among available mitigation options to reduce avian electrocution and associated ignition risk.
Indeed, the quantitative method developed in this paper has already been applied by asset managers at an electric utility in the United States of America to assess the effectiveness of different potential strategies for reducing the risk of ignitions due to avian contact throughout their service territory. While the results of that assessment remain confidential, we present sample results to illustrate the model outputs for the four geometric cases described and show that for a portfolio of bird species found in the contiguous US, increasing the vertical phase spacing at transmission structures from 1.52 m to 2.44 m has a mitigation effectiveness of approximately 0% for Geometric Case 1, 95% for Geometric Case 2, 100% for Geometric Case 3, and 100% for Geometric Case 4.
Additional informations
| Publication type | Session Materials |
|---|---|
| Reference | B2_10929_2026 |
| Publication year | |
| Publisher | CIGRE |
| Country | United States of America |
| Study committees | |
| File size | 643 KB |
| Price for non member | 30 € |
| Price for member | 30 € |
Authors
BHATTACHARJEE Gitanjali - Exponent, Inc., United States of America; JAMPOLE Ezra - Exponent, Inc., United States of America
Keywords
.Avian Electrocution - Electrocution - Potential Ignition Source - Risk Assessment
