SmartBirds
Photo: Dimitar Gradinarov/BSPB
Elektrorazpredelenie Yug EAD (EP Yug) (part of EVN Group), as the lead partner, in cooperation with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), EVN Macedonia, the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES), and the Turkish environmental NGO DOGA, has developed an international project entitled “Reduction of mortality risk on globally endangered birds through retrofitting of hazardous overhead power lines in South-eastern Europe” (ЕP for Birds LIFE) under the EU LIFE Programme. The partners will also collaborate with four electricity distribution companies from Turkey.
The project’s main objective is to contribute to the conservation of the globally threatened Eastern Imperial Eagle and Egyptian Vulture through the modernization and bird-safe upgrading of electricity distribution infrastructure in the participating countries. Project activities will be implemented in 14 Natura 2000 protected sites in Bulgaria and 48 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA/KBA) in North Macedonia and Turkey.
Within the project framework, innovative technologies for grid insulation and state-of-the-art scientific monitoring approaches will be introduced. These will be shared with the international conservation community and replicated along the migratory routes of these two globally threatened species.
Although the project focuses primarily on the Eastern Imperial Eagle and the Egyptian Vulture, its activities will benefit many other bird species — in practice, all birds that breed, migrate, or winter within the project areas.
Project Activities
Within the project “ЕP for Birds LIFE”, EP Yug will implement the following activities in its licensed territory in southeastern Bulgaria:
- Insulation and bird-safe upgrading of 8,700 electricity poles. The use of special insulating materials allows birds to perch safely on power poles.
- Installation of 1,500 bird flight diverters on overhead power lines.
In North Macedonia, project activities include:
- Insulation of 3,000 electricity poles.
- Installation of 1,000 bird flight diverters.
In Turkey, the project plans:
- Insulation of 5,000 electricity poles.
All grid safety measures will be carried out in key areas for bird breeding, migration, and wintering. In Bulgaria, the project area covers 100% of the distribution range of the Eastern Imperial Eagle and 90% of the range of the Egyptian Vulture.
Additionally, four professional drones will be purchased — three for diverter installation and one for GIS field surveys and data analysis using specialized software. Specialized equipment will also be procured, including two aerial work platforms for network operations.
Project Duration and Funding
Project activities are planned over five years (2025–2030). During this period, EP Yug will work to protect biodiversity in Bulgaria, Turkey, and North Macedonia by implementing innovative technical solutions with long-term impact.
The European Commission approved the highest possible co-financing rate — 75%. The total project budget exceeds €11.3 million, of which nearly €8.5 million will be provided by the European Commission. The remaining funds will be covered by the project partners, with EP Yug contributing nearly €2 million.
EVN Bulgaria South’s Third LIFE Project
“Safe Grid for Birds in Southeast Europe” is the third LIFE project implemented by EP Yug.
Since 2021, the company has been implementing the “LIFE Safe Grid for Burgas” project, aimed at making the electricity grid bird-safe in the Burgas Lakes region — part of the major bird migration corridor Via Pontica. So far, more than 1,750 poles have been insulated, 400 diverters installed, and 7 km of overhead lines buried underground.
Between 2013 and 2018, EP Yug implemented the project “LIFE for Safe Grid”, the first LIFE project in Bulgaria led by an infrastructure company. In 2020, the European Commission nominated it for the “Best LIFE Nature Award”.
These initiatives demonstrate EVN Bulgaria’s strong commitment to sustainable operations, environmental protection, and modernization of energy infrastructure.
Project No. 101216021 – LIFE24-NAT-BG-EP for Birds LIFE is funded by the EU LIFE Programme.
