Uniondale, NY - July 18, 2017 - In balancing its commitment to the consistent, safe delivery of power for its customers with its commitment to being a good environmental steward, PSEG Long Island has partnered with the Village of Plandome Manor to install a new osprey nesting pole and platform.
PSEG Long Island crews responding to a service call noticed the osprey nest on July 4. Within 48 hours, the company notified the state Department of Environmental Conservation that they would be moving the nest to a new platform approximately 30 feet from the existing pole. A crew installed the new pole and platform on Monday, July 17.
“Long Island’s osprey population is important to the overall ecology of the area,” said John O’Connell, Vice President of Transmission and Distribution, PSEG Long Island. “We want to help ensure the osprey continue to return to the area, year after year, while at the same time protecting the reliability of the energy grid. This was a great opportunity to do both.”
“The Village of Plandome Manor is pleased to partner with PSEG Long Island in supporting their efforts to install an Osprey relocation platform near Leeds Pond. This platform is meant to encourage nesting away from their power lines,” said Mayor Barbara Donno, Village of Plandome Manor. “By working collaboratively with PSEG Long Island, we are minimizing electric outages while preserving and protecting these beautiful birds. We thank PSEG Long Island for their continuing efforts to safeguard our environment and for protecting our precious osprey population."
The new pole and nesting platform provides a safe nesting area for the osprey away from vital electrical infrastructure, helping PSEG Long Island maintain strong electric service reliability. Ospreys will often use utility poles and transmission structures for nesting, which jeopardizes system reliability, causes outages and damages equipment. Additionally, ospreys are at high risk of electrocution, as their large wingspan can complete the circuit between closely spaced energized equipment or between an energized wire and a neutral ground wire.
Long Island is home to more than 400 species of birds, including the majestic osprey. Ospreys are large beautiful birds and a popular sight on Long Island. From the 1950s through the 1970s, Long Island’s osprey population decreased and became endangered. The effort to build safe nesting sites on or near waterways has contributed to the rise in the population of osprey.
PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $9.1 billion.