MOESK: Works to Clear off and Expand Routes Along PTL are necessary for Reliable Power Supply

In JSC “MOESK” according to the approved program the works are carried out to clear off and expand the routes along the power transmission lines. The arrangements are being realized within the framework of the complex preparation of the electric grid economy of MOESK to the forthcoming autumn and winter period. Mass media representatives could estimate the course of the program fulfillment during a press tour through the example of 110 kV “Iksha – BelyRast” high-voltage line, which is located in the service area of a branch of MOESK – Northern Electric Grids (NEG).

“Topicality of the annually performed arrangements to clear off the forest corridors and expand the routes near PTL is preconditioned by a necessity to provide safety of consumers and continuous power supply, – explained head of the power transmission lines service of NEG Andrey Lagutin. – Bringing of the forest corridors to the normative state makes it possible to avoid cases of trees falling down to power transmission lines, and through it to increase the function reliability of the electrical equipment”.

In 2013 in JSC “MOESK” they stipulated the works at the total venue of about 2,395 ha, among them 1,285 ha – for the routes clearance off plantation and shrubs, almost 1,110 ha – to expand the forest corridors of PTL both primary and those of the distribution lines. For comparison, the area of one of the football field amounts to a bit more than 0.7 ha. So, till the year end the specialists of MOESK will clear and expand the routes at the area comparable with a bit more than that of 3,420 stadiums.

Statistics of the outages on the grids of MOESK due to falling down of trees confirms a relevance of the carried out works: last year their number was reduced practically by 5 times as compared to year 2011.

In 2014 beside clearing off of the protective zones MOESK plans to carry out the works and forms the program to remove trees, threatening by falling down to PTL, regardless of the protective zones’ boundaries. What is meant here is dead wood (including trees damaged by bark beetle), top-dry trees, and also about trees having a visible bend sideways PTL.

The entire complex of the works is carried out by the power engineers exclusively according to the RF current laws, with the assistance and cooperation with the forest management bodies and nature protection activities, public prosecution office, as well as the public authorities.

Thereby it’s worth specifying that the specialists of MOESK, when fulfilling the program to clear off the routes and forest corridors, sometimes come across misunderstanding of the significance of the works performed on part of a local population (owners, lessees, proprietors of land plots with a restricted access to them).

“Safety of population is of paramount importance for MOESK. What is meant here is provision of continuous power supply with observance of all the norms and rules of safety regulations, – comments Andrey Lagutin. – If a single tree, situated for example at an area of a weekend cottage, falls down to PTL, then socially significant facilities – hospitals, schools, kindergartens may be deprived of light, – where power cutoff may be related with a life hazard. Everybody must understand it, including those persons who prevent performing the works. Otherwise they will bear responsibility for the entire damage in the event of PTL break”.

Activities of MOESK are based on the complex approach in the organization of all the work types, including those for clearance off of the routes and forest corridors. MOESK appeals to everybody to treat with understanding a necessity of these arrangements fulfillment, aimed at safety providing of the consumers, reliable and god quality power supply.