Electricity company comes up with solution to Crooklands power cuts (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Electricity company comes up with solution to Crooklands power cuts
9:32am Thursday 17th January 2013 in News
AN electricity company has pledged to install deflectors on overhead power cables to deter birds from flying into them and disrupting supply.
Electricity North West is also spending £250,000 on a major refurbishment programme on the overhead network near the Crooklands Hotel, south of Kendal.
The moves come after Westmorland & Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron, alerted the company to a series of disruptions to businesses and homes near junction 36 of the M6.
In a letter to Mr Farron, Steve Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Electricity North West admitted there had been too many power cuts in the area.
“My investigations have revealed a history of supply problems in this area,” he wrote.
The most recent was on November 26, 2012, when a swan struck overhead power lines interrupting the supply to 1,253 homes.
He said the high voltage overhead network is exposed to hazards which can obstruct the flow of electricity, including poor weather, bird strikes and vegetation.
“Our records confirm that a large number of faults in this area were caused by swans and geese striking overhead power lines.
“We are therefore installing high visibility bird deflectors to lines with a history of this problem, in the vicinity of the Crooklands Hotel.
“This equipment is designed to prevent bird strikes and from our experience has significantly reduced faults of this nature.”
In addition the refurbishment will involve replacing poles, equipment and overhead power lines. It is due to be completed by September this year.
Mr Farron intervened after a complaint from Mike Glover, who runs a media consultancy from his home in Milton.
He said: “I am very grateful for Mr Farron for taking this up and to North West Electricity for treating the problem seriously.
“I look forward to a better service as a result, which would be good news for householders and businesses, as well as the birds whose carcasses can be seen in the fields after such incidents.”
