Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors: Impact on the biosphere

Electrocuted birds, trimmed trees and leaking switchgear gas

What this tab covers Effects on human, animal, plant, fungal and microbial life and on whole ecosystems: in the short term (construction and early years), medium term (operating life) and long term (decommissioning and legacy).

Distribution lines are everywhere people live, so their effects are diffuse: bird electrocutions on poles, vegetation cutting, SF6 leaks from switchgear and, in mini-grids, the trade of diesel smoke for battery waste.

Bird electrocutions on US power lines 0.9 to 11.6 million a year²³ SF6 global warming potential 24,300 times CO2¹⁶ Switchgear SF6 share of Finland's greenhouse gas emissions 0.05% (2022)¹⁶ EU SF6 ban, new medium-voltage equipment Up to 24 kV from 2026; 24 to 52 kV from 2030¹⁵

Effects over time

Life affected	Short term	Medium term	Long term
Humans	Street works and outages during construction and upgrades	Access to electricity brings lighting, refrigeration and powered health care; solar mini-grids can replace diesel generators and kerosene	Old meters, transformers and mini-grid batteries need collection and recycling
Animals²³	Little evidence of effect	Power lines electrocute an estimated 0.9 to 11.6 million birds a year in the US, as birds perch on poles between live parts	Risk persists until poles are redesigned or retrofitted
Plants	Clearing for new rural lines	Regular tree trimming along overhead lines	Little evidence of effect
Fungi and soil life	Trenching for underground cables disturbs soil	Little evidence of effect	Little evidence of effect
Ecosystems¹⁶	Little evidence of effect	SF6 leakage from switchgear (global warming potential 24,300); in Finland switchgear SF6 was 0.05% of national greenhouse gas emissions in 2022	Interconnectors let regions share surplus renewable power

How the effects are reduced

Insulating or spacing live parts on poles reduces bird electrocutions. Undergrounding removes collision and much of the fire risk at higher cost. In the EU, SF6-free switchgear and a ban on new SF6 for maintenance from 2035 reduce leaks. Solar mini-grids cut diesel use, and battery take-back schemes limit waste.

Sources

Enedis and ABB partner on SF6-free switchgear Enlit World, 2025
Transition to SF6-free electrical switchgear will begin in 2026 Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), 2025
Refining estimates of bird collision and electrocution mortality at power lines in the United States (Loss, Will and Marra, PLOS ONE) PLOS ONE via RePEc/IDEAS, 2014