The project “Life safe grid for Burgas” of Elektrorazpredelenie Yug and BSPB under the LIFE Programme of the European Union entered its construction part
Four overhead power lines supplying Sarafovo neighbourhood in Burgaswill be fully installed underground as part of the project “Life safe grid for Burgas”. The project is realized jointly by Elektrorazpredelenie Yug and the Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds (BSPB) and is financed by LIFE programme of the European Union.
The construction works on the underground cable installation of the overhead lines with a total length of 20 kilometres were started on 28 September 2023 at a ceremony by Eng. Zdravko Bratoev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Elektrorazpredelenie Yug, Eng. Stoycho Valchev, Executive member of the Board of Directors of the company, Vanya Ratarova-Georgieva, Executive Director of BSPB, and Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas Municipality. The ceremony took place in the area of road junction Kableshkovo, in the direction to Sarafovo neighbourhood.
Construction activities will continue until 2026, and at their end, the customers of EP Yug in Sarafovo and the region will have one of the most reliable grids and power supply.
Underground cable laying is the most effective solution, completely eliminating the risks of collision and electrocution for birds. This most durable solution in the long run eliminates the risks to birds and provides the most reliable and secure power supply for customers, regardless of weather conditions.
The project "LIFE Safe Grid for Burgas” https://lifesafegridforburgas.bg is implemented by Elektrorazpredelenie Yug in partnership with BSPB and is financed by LIFE programme of the European Union. It will be implemented by 2026 in four NATURA 2000 areas around Burgas - Atanasovsko Lake, Burgas Lake (Vaya), Mandra-Poda Complex and Pomorie Lake, which are located on one of the two main migratory routes of birds in Europe - “Via Pontica”.
In February 2023, the company built a new underground cable line with a length of 500 meters for Sarafovo neighbourhood. In June 2023, EP Yug finished the installation of protective insulations for birds over 950 poles from 6 overhead lines, supplying power to Banevo, Vetren, Rudnik, Mirolovovo, Izvorishte, Draganovo, Bryastovets, etc.
The activities are part of the general plan of a project, according to which Elektrorazpredelenie Yug will:
• install under the ground 52 km from the existing overhead power lines on the territory of Burgas municipality.
• install protective insulations on 2,000 poles of the grid. By means of these insulations, the birds do not have a contact with the energized elements and thus no disturbances are caused in the power supply.
• install 2000 diverters (reflectors) on overhead power lines. They reduce the likelihood of flying birds colliding with overhead wires.
• build 18 new transformer stations and 1 new switching station.
The purpose of the project is to protect birds by reducing mortality due to contact with electricity distribution grid overhead lines. Along with this, the security of electricity supply for the customers in the nearby settlements will be improved by installing new underground cable lines, additional equipment and installing safety materials on the poles.
