Agricultural colleges and university farms often manage extensive overhead power distribution lines across research fields, livestock areas, and experimental plots. In these rural settings, wildlife (birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.) frequently causes power outages by contacting energized conductors. Reliable electricity is essential for research projects, climate-controlled greenhouses, irrigation systems, and animal welfare. Even a short outage can ruin valuable experiments, compromise data, and endanger livestock — resulting in major financial and scientific losses.
Following IEEE Std 1656-2010 enables institutions to:
- Select and verify high-performance wildlife protective devices
- Significantly reduce outage frequency
- Enhance safety for both wildlife and staff
- Lower long-term maintenance costs
- Demonstrate responsible and sustainable infrastructure management
By implementing this standard, agricultural colleges ensure uninterrupted power for education and research while promoting wildlife-friendly practices on campus.
This title is a recommended guide (not a mandatory standard) published by the IEEE Power and Energy Society.
Scope: The guide applies to wildlife protective devices (also known as wildlife guards, covers, or deterrents) installed on overhead electrical distribution systems rated up to and including 38 kV. It covers insulating covers, bird diverters, animal barriers, perch management devices, and similar products designed to prevent wildlife contact with energized conductors and equipment. The standard focuses on standardized laboratory test procedures rather than specific product designs or installation methods.
Purpose:
The primary purpose is to provide standardized test methods to evaluate the electrical, mechanical, and durability performance of these devices. This helps utilities and manufacturers ensure the devices effectively reduce wildlife-related outages (from birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.) while maintaining long-term reliability in outdoor environments.
Key test categories include:
- Electrical: Wet withstand, power frequency flashover, lightning impulse, and high-current arc tests
- Mechanical: Wind, impact, and physical stress resistance
- Durability: UV aging, weather resistance, and flame retardancy
Many commercial wildlife protection products are tested to or exceed IEEE 1656 requirements.
“Finches” Hector Giacomelli 1880
