Bird-Related Disruption in E.ON's Power Grid
(2026) In Master's Theses in Mathematical Sciences FMSM01 20252Mathematical Statistics
- Abstract
- Bird collisions with overhead power lines can cause power outages and raise ecological concerns. This thesis analyses bird-related power disruptions in E.ON Energidistribution AB’s Swedish power grid during the period 2009–2025. The aims are to analyse the impact of bird-related outages relative to other causes and to evaluate whether bird diverters reduce such disruptions. The study is based on documented outage data combined with geographical information on grid infrastructure and bird diverter installations.
Exploratory data analysis reveals that bird-related outages constitute less than one per cent of all disruptions but shows clear temporal and spatial patterns. Outages are strongly seasonal, with higher frequencies during summer... (More) - Bird collisions with overhead power lines can cause power outages and raise ecological concerns. This thesis analyses bird-related power disruptions in E.ON Energidistribution AB’s Swedish power grid during the period 2009–2025. The aims are to analyse the impact of bird-related outages relative to other causes and to evaluate whether bird diverters reduce such disruptions. The study is based on documented outage data combined with geographical information on grid infrastructure and bird diverter installations.
Exploratory data analysis reveals that bird-related outages constitute less than one per cent of all disruptions but shows clear temporal and spatial patterns. Outages are strongly seasonal, with higher frequencies during summer and early autumn, and are more common in coastal regions. Regression modelling using generalised linear models shows a significant long-term decline in bird-related outages, with a negative binomial model providing the best fit due to overdispersion. Survival and competing risks analyses indicate that the risk of bird-related outages is low compared with other causes.
The analysis of bird diverters shows a reduction in bird-related outage rates after installation. However, similar reductions are observed in grid sections without diverters, preventing a definitive conclusion regarding their effectiveness. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- Bird collisions with power lines are a visible reminder that modern infrastructure and wildlife share the same space. This thesis investigates how often birds actually disrupt Sweden’s power grid and whether simple measures can make a difference.
The power grid is the backbone of our modern society, and it is crucial that it operates reliably to support private homes, hospitals and industries. There are many causes of power outages, one of them being birds. This is a problem for power companies, since they need to have secure power delivery, but it can also raise concerns about bird mortality and biodiversity. This thesis examines how significant bird-related power outages really are, how they vary over time and place, and whether... (More) - Bird collisions with power lines are a visible reminder that modern infrastructure and wildlife share the same space. This thesis investigates how often birds actually disrupt Sweden’s power grid and whether simple measures can make a difference.
The power grid is the backbone of our modern society, and it is crucial that it operates reliably to support private homes, hospitals and industries. There are many causes of power outages, one of them being birds. This is a problem for power companies, since they need to have secure power delivery, but it can also raise concerns about bird mortality and biodiversity. This thesis examines how significant bird-related power outages really are, how they vary over time and place, and whether protective devices known as bird diverters help reduce the problem.
To study this, we examine power outages documented between 2009 and 2025. For each outage, there is information such as where it took place and how long the outage was. Together with information on locations in the grid, we can find patterns in the bird-related outages and compare them to other causes.
Over time, the number of bird-related outages has decreased significantly. This decline mirrors a general reduction in power outages overall and is likely linked to long-term improvements in the power grid, such as replacing overhead lines with underground cables. The results show that bird-related outages account for less than one per cent of all power disruptions. In other words, birds are a relatively rare cause of outages compared with causes such as fallen trees or lightning. However, these outages do not occur randomly. They occur more frequently during late summer and early autumn, which coincides with periods of high bird activity and migration. Geographically, bird-related outages are more common in coastal areas and on the island of Öland which are regions known for rich bird life.
In this thesis, it is also analysed whether bird diverters have an effect on decreasing the number of bird-related power outages. Bird diverters are small attachments placed on the power lines, making them more visible to birds. It is expected that they will have a positive effect, leading to fewer outages and lower bird mortality. However, when studying the outages, they do not seem to have an effect on the number of outages, and their effect cannot be proven. But it is important to remember that previous studies have found them effective, and the provided data probably have a number of undocumented cases of bird-related outages, meaning that we cannot fully dismiss their effect.
This thesis gives a better understanding of how birds impact the power grid, both in terms of when and where they take place. In the future, more in-depth analyses can be made with these results in mind. (Less)
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http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9221452
- author
- Nilén, Lisa LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- FMSM01 20252
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- publication/series
- Master's Theses in Mathematical Sciences
- report number
- LUTFMS-3548-2026
- ISSN
- 1404-6342
- other publication id
- 2026:E10
- language
- English
- id
- 9221452
- date added to LUP
- 2026-02-02 16:53:58
- date last changed
- 2026-02-02 16:53:58
@misc{9221452,
abstract = {{Bird collisions with overhead power lines can cause power outages and raise ecological concerns. This thesis analyses bird-related power disruptions in E.ON Energidistribution AB’s Swedish power grid during the period 2009–2025. The aims are to analyse the impact of bird-related outages relative to other causes and to evaluate whether bird diverters reduce such disruptions. The study is based on documented outage data combined with geographical information on grid infrastructure and bird diverter installations.
Exploratory data analysis reveals that bird-related outages constitute less than one per cent of all disruptions but shows clear temporal and spatial patterns. Outages are strongly seasonal, with higher frequencies during summer and early autumn, and are more common in coastal regions. Regression modelling using generalised linear models shows a significant long-term decline in bird-related outages, with a negative binomial model providing the best fit due to overdispersion. Survival and competing risks analyses indicate that the risk of bird-related outages is low compared with other causes.
The analysis of bird diverters shows a reduction in bird-related outage rates after installation. However, similar reductions are observed in grid sections without diverters, preventing a definitive conclusion regarding their effectiveness.}},
author = {{Nilén, Lisa}},
issn = {{1404-6342}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master's Theses in Mathematical Sciences}},
title = {{Bird-Related Disruption in E.ON's Power Grid}},
year = {{2026}},
}