The ponds in the high-voltage power line zone between Těškov and Holoubkov benefit wildlife and have also helped power utility workers

A newly constructed system of three natural ponds within the high-voltage power grid’s buffer zone along the Těškov-Volduchy route in the Rokycany region exemplifies a successful symbiosis between nature and the country’s critical technical infrastructure.

A pilot project by ČEZ Distribuce, whose first phase was supported by the ČEZ Foundation with a grant of 300,000 CZK, creates optimal living conditions for a wide range of animals, including species of European significance such as the Alpine newt and the yellow-bellied toad. At the same time, it has solved a major problem for utility workers, who—under local conditions—regularly found themselves stuck with their equipment during repairs (such as after fallen trees) or power line inspections. Because water from the wetlands has been channeled into a system of interconnected pools, they can now safely drive along the edge of the high-voltage power line’s safety zone. The optimal water depth of 0.5–1 meter, with gently sloping banks, is literally a paradise for insects and amphibians; birds and forest animals also come here to drink. Moreover, the pools have not dried up even during this year’s exceptionally hot summer.