PNM invests to protect New Mexico’s birds and improve power reliability with perch diverter project

By PNM

PNM cares very deeply about the environment and the wildlife that calls New Mexico home. We are lucky enough to live in a state that is diverse in terrain, and we share the space with an incredible variety of wildlife and bird species. In an effort to encourage safe nesting for raptors and other large birds, and to improve and maintain reliability, PNM has completed a large project installing hundreds of perch diverters along a main transmission line that has experienced bird-related outages.

 

The perch diverter project took place along the BB transmission line, which runs from north of Albuquerque to the Clovis-Portales area of Eastern New Mexico. PNM engaged Hawks Aloft, Inc., a local avian conservation, research and education organization, to help determine the species nesting and the location of the nests on the structures. This data assisted in identifying the cause of interruptions that were occurring along the line. Findings showed that when the birds perch on certain parts of the transmission structures, their excrement can “stream” and bridge the clearance between the power lines, causing faults on the line.

 

“PNM goes to great lengths to protect the wildlife in our communities, and invest in the integrity of our infrastructure,” said Amy Peralta, PNM project manager in the New Mexico Operations department. “This project was an important collaboration between us and Hawks Aloft, Inc. to assist in the preservation of these birds and for PNM to continue to offer safe, reliable power to customers.”

 

The perch diverters will discourage the birds from sitting on certain locations on the structure while encouraging them to locate to a safer location, thus protecting the line from bird-related outages, improving reliability and maintaining the integrity of the line. The diverters were installed on over 400 structures by line crews who are flown to each structure from a helicopter, and the project was done while the line remained energized to minimize outages.

About PNM

With headquarters in Albuquerque, PNM is the largest electricity provider in New Mexico, serving 500,000 customers in dozens of communities across the state. PNM is a subsidiary of PNM Resources, an energy holding company also headquartered in Albuquerque. For more information, visit www.PNM.com.