Habitats and species

Habitats and species

The main potential impacts arising from the construction of electricity transmission facilities are the alteration of the habitats of certain species of flora and fauna, and the effect on the vegetation associated to the opening of safety corridors, necessary to prevent the risk of fires.

Measures applied in the construction of facilities

  • Elaboration of specific studies to determine the actual presence of sensitive species in the area of the works and the possible effects on them.
  • Modification in the design of the project, in order to minimise the impact on vegetation: compacting of grounds under towers, over-elevation of towers and modification of access paths.
  • Signage and marking off of habitats of interest or of specific specimens to avoid them being affected.
  • Exhaustive supervision of felling and pruning works to avoid that specific specimens and protected flora be affected.
  • Relocating of species which consists of transplanting the tree specimens affected by work into other areas that are not affected.
  • Hoisting towers with a boom crane a technique that minimises the opening of access paths and the need for work sites in highland areas or areas with abundant or protected vegetation.

  • Hanging of cable by hand to reduce the need for the opening up of special paths for cable hanging.
  • Using of a helicopter for the transportation of materials, and the hoisting and hanging of cables to minimise or avoid the need for earthworks (construction of roads and work sites) and negatively affecting the vegetation.
  • Biological stoppages which involves the cessation of works during the breeding and nesting season, and the rearing of young of certain species.
  • Restoration of areas affected by works, such as recovery of the geomorphology, the levelling off of land, slope stabilisation, supply of topsoil and hydro-seeding and planting of species (including protected species).
  • Planting of trees to offset any felling carried out during works.
  • Additional measures for the improvement of the biodiversity in the areas where works are carried out.