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„Life for safe grid“ (in bulgarian „Живот за царския орел“) is project financed by the LIFE+ Programme of the European Union. The official and complete name of the project is "Enhance conservation of the globally threatened Imperial Eagle in Bulgaria by reducing mortality caused by power lines" (Life 12 NAT/BG/000572). The acronym in English in the official documentation is "Life for Safe Grid".

About the Project
The project "Life for Safe Grid" is implemented by Elektrorazpredelenie Yug in partnership with the Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds (BSPB). Elektrorazpredelenie Yug is the first infrastructure company in the country, which is implementing a project with LIFE+ Programme financing by the European Commission. The company received the European Commission’s approval for financing of "Life for Safe Grid" in July 2013. The total value of the project "Life for Safe Grid" is nearly 4 million Euros. The scheduled duration of the project implementation is five years: 2013 - 2018. The LIFE Programme is a financial instrument for the environment topic, which is implemented in accordance with Regulation No 614/2007 of the European Parliament. The main objective is to co-finance the local projects for the conservation of the biological diversity and the habitats in Natura 2000 network. "Life for Safe Grid” is implemented under the LIFE+ " Nature and Biodiversity" component.

The project is implemented in eight specially protected areas within the Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria:
 * Adata – Tundzha (on the territory of Sliven and Yambol regions);
 * Derventski vyzvisheniya (Derventski Heights) and Madzharovo (in Haskovo region);
 * Sakar (in Haskovo and Yambol regions);
 * Arda Bridge (in Kardzhali and Haskovo regions);
 * Western Strandzha (in Burgas and Yambol regions);
 * Sinite Kamani (the Blue Rocks) – Grebenets;
 * Kamenski Bair (Kamenski Hill) (in Sliven region).

"Life for Safe Grid" is a continuation of the long-term support, provided by Elektrorazpredelenie Yug for BSPB’s project “Conservation of the Imperial Eagle and the Saker Falcon in their key habitats within the Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria“ under which it was demonstrated that up to 80% of the young Imperial Eagles, marked with satellite transmitters, died from electric shock when landing on unsecured poles of the electricity distribution grid.

Project objectives
The main objective of the "Life for Safe Grid" project is preservation of the population of the severely threatened Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in Bulgaria, which is located entirely within the licensed territory of Elektrorazpredelenie Yug in the south-eastern part of the country. In order to support the achievement of this project objective, the following auxiliary objectives have been set:
 * Increasing awareness of the risk for the Imperial Eagle, associated with the electricity infrastructure
 * Reducing the mortality of the Imperial Eagle, resulting from electric shocks and collisions with the electricity distribution grid poles in the regions in Bulgaria that are most important for the species (in particular – protected areas and key habitats outside the Natura 2000 network).
 * Raising the awareness of the general public and the stakeholders regarding the hazards for the Imperial Eagle and other bird species resulting from the overhead power lines.
 * An additional effect from the project is the improved security of the electricity supply to the customers.

Monitoring
In order to assess the results of the environmental protection measures within the project, monitoring of the nesting populations of the Imperial Eagle is carried out.

All known nesting territories of the Imperial Eagle (26 pairs in 2014/ 28 pairs in 2016) are visited three times a year for a period of 5 years:


 * the purpose of the first annual visit is to determine the presence on the territory in the beginning of the nesting season;
 * the purpose of the second visit is to determine the incubation and inhabitancy for young pairs;
 * during the third visit is registered the number of successfully nesting birds.

During the three visits of the inhabited territories are recorded the age of the nesting birds, their possible individual features and marking.

An inspection of the electric lines is performed during these visits, in order to determine the relief and the types of poles. The known bird fatalities are also recorded.

Underground cable installation of electric lines
The underground cable installation of the electric lines is a civil work, in which the overhead electricity distribution lines are installed under the ground, which is associated with overall reconstruction of the electricity distribution grid in the area.

Under the "Life for Safe Grid" project, 43 km of underground cable lines have already been laid. As a result of this, three overhead electric lines (OHL) 20 kV with a total length of over 50 km will not be used anymore - OHL Nadezhda, OHL Oreshnik and OHL Srem on the territory of Topolovgrad municipality, which will be completely removed. The region around Topolovgrad is situated within the boundaries of the specially protected area „Sakar“ from Natura 2000 and this measure eliminates a major threat for the Imperial Eagles in the region.

The biggest challenge proves to be the difficult terrain which requires additional measures, such as strengthening the earthworks for the cable lines and backfilling of the slopes along Tundzha river for installation of the cable route.

The cable installation completely eliminates the risks of collision and electric shock for the birds.

Construction of a PAS system
The PAS system is an insulated conductor line along the whole length of the electric line. The purpose of this type of conductor is to protect the birds against electric shocks in case of contact with the exposed surface of the line.

Under the "Life for Safe Grid" project, an insulated conductor line was installed over the 20 kV power line "Bulgarin" on the territory of Harmanli municipality with a total length of 15 km. The area is situated within the boundaries of Natura 2000, „Sakar” area.

It is planned the construction of a PAS system with a length of nearly 30 km on the territories of Topolovgrad and Elhovo municipalities.

The installation of the PAS system eliminates the risk of electric shock and mitigates the risk of collision, because the insulated electric lines are darker, and respectively more visible than the exposed lines.

Installation of protective insulation
The protective insulation is made of special plastic products, installed on top of the electric pole, covering the parts of the conductors on both sides of the pole. These devices are made of an insulation material in order to protect the birds against electric shock in the case of simultaneous contact with the conductors and the earthed part of the pole.

Preliminary identification was of the high-risk poles within the electricity distribution grid in the areas, inhabited by the Imperial Eagle, carried out.

Data from previous BSPB studies and the GIS database developed under this project were used to determine the exact number and type of poles, which will be insulated within the project.

The high-risk poles in the most important hunting territories of the Imperial Eagle are being isolated. The poles in the areas, defined as "sites for temporary settlement" of young Imperial Eagles in south-eastern Bulgaria are also being insulated. Within this project, Elektrorazpredelenie Yug is planning to install 2,740 protection insulations, which will solve one of the most serious threats for the Imperial Eagles, resulting from electric shock when alighting on unsecured poles.

Before the project end, monitoring of the effect of the insulated wires (PAS system) and the insulation mounted on the poles will be carried out.

Useful Links

 * BirdLife International
 * Живот за царския орел
 * Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds