Avian Stewardship

Our Service Area is home to a variety of raptors and other large birds which can be exposed to power line risks. To address these concerns, TID has an Avian Protection Plan which outlines steps we take to minimize those risks.

Protecting birds and keeping them away from our electrical equipment is part of our commitment to the environment and a reliable electric system. We’ve taken steps to protect birds by installing perch guards atop poles, protective caps on insulating risers and transformers and spaced some components far enough apart to minimize the chances for birds to be electrocuted.

In certain instances, we’ve provided nesting platforms and boxes near our facilities for birds in order to entice them away from dangerous situations and conditions. We’ve identified birds of prey and other large birds that likely occupy or move through our service territory as well as the places where they most likely could be impacted and prioritized our avian safety measures there. We also partner with industry and wildlife protection experts to manage our plan and keep our feathered residents safe.

You can help us by alerting us to outages caused by birds and to report birds that are building nests on top of poles or substations by calling (209) 883-8222 or, (209) 883-8300 after hours.

Along with reports from our customers, we monitor areas where we know there’s a higher likelihood for birds to come into contact with our facilities. But, our territory covers 662 square miles and includes 2,235 miles of distribution lines so, we rely on the public to help us.