Eastlake power plant cuts not expected to impact resident falcons

[Donna]

Neither FirstEnergy nor the Ohio Division of Wildlife believe that the new reduced generating schedule for the Eastlake coal-fired power plant will impact the peregrine falcon nest located on the plant’s tall smokestack.

Earlier this summer, FirstEnergy announced that the Eastlake plant will see a reduction in generation capacity during nonpeak periods. This reduction will see a drop in the plant’s work force.

However, the falcon nest will remain in place and state wildlife biologists still will have an opportunity to access the tower and scoop up any chicks for banding, company officials say.

“The short answer is it probably won’t affect the birds next year since typically that time of year we’re operating in the summer mode,� said FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin. “There will be staff there to maintain the unit. I don’t think it will be an issue, and hopefully the plant will return to more normal operating status when the economy picks up.�

Agreeing is Damon Greer, wildlife management administrator for the Wildlife Division’s Northeast Ohio district office in Akron.

“As long as we can still have access to the tower’s elevator we should be fine,� Greer said.

At Eastlake, five falcon eggs were laid this year with four chicks being hatched. The Eastlake site has been used by falcons since 2005 and has seen 24 chicks hatch, Greer said.

“The nest has averaged four chicks per year. That’s above normal, which is interesting since the hatchings have come later than most other nest sites,� he said.

Greer also said that statewide this year the Wildlife Division counted 26 known falcon nests. These nests produced at least 97 eggs, though only 60 chicks were fledged.

“That number was slightly down, though we did notice across the state a lower hatch rate than in previous years, Greer said. “We speculate that this may be due to the cold, wet weather we experienced in early spring. But we really don’t know.�