Introduction

Figure 1. Tower components

Transmission towers support the high-voltage conductors of overhead power lines, from the
generating station switchyard right up to the source substations and satellite substations located
near populated areas.
Their shape, height and sturdiness (mechanical strength) depend on the stresses to which they are
exposed. Towers do not transmit electricity themselves unless lightning strikes the ground wire
strung along the top of the structure. This cable is designed to protect conductors by allowing
lightning discharges to reach the ground through the tower.

Types
Waist-type tower

Figure 2. Waist-type tower

Figure 3. Waist-type tower

This is the most common type of transmission tower. It's used for voltages ranging from 110 to
735 kV. Because they're easily assembled, these towers are suitable for power lines that cross
very uneven terrain.

Double-circuit tower

Figure 4. Double-circuit tower

Figure 5. Double-circuit tower

This small-footprint tower is used for voltages ranging from 110 to 315 kV. Its height ranges
from 25 to 60 metres.

Guyed-V tower

Figure 6. Guyed-V tower

Figure 7. Guyed-V tower

This tower is designed for voltages ranging from 230 to 735 kV. It's used mainly for power lines
leaving the La Grande and Manic-Outardes hydroelectric complexes. The guyed-V tower is more
economical than the double-circuit and waist-type towers.

Tublar steel pole

Figure 8. Tublar steel pole

Figure 9. Tublar steel pole

Featuring a streamlined, aesthetic shape, this structure is less massive than other towers, allowing
it to blend easily into the environment. For this reason, it's being used more and more in urban
centres. Measuring between 27 and 45 metres in height, it's suitable for voltages ranging from
110 to 315 kV.

Guyed cross-rope suspension tower

Figure 10. Guyed cross-rope suspension tower Figure 11. Guyed cross-rope suspension tower
With its simple design, this tower is easy to assemble. It's used on some sections of power lines
leaving the La Grande complex and supports 735-kV conductors. This type of structure requires
less galvanized steel than the guyed-V tower, making it lighter and less costly.

Crossings

Figure 12. Crossings

Figure 13. Crossings

An overhead line crossing is the crossing of an obstaclesuch as a traffic route, a river, a valley
or a straitby an overhead power line. The style of crossing depends on the local conditions and
regulations at the time the power line is constructed. Overhead line crossings can sometimes
require extensive construction and can also have operational issues. In such cases, those in
charge of construction should consider whether a crossing of the obstacle would be better
accomplished by an underground or submarine cable.

Conductors
Conductors transmit electric power. Usually conductors are made of aluminum with a steel core
that gives the cable its required strength.
Curiously, these conductors are bare: the air around them provides insulation. Each conductor is
stranded, meaning it consists of several wires twisted together. This makes a conductor more
flexible and more exposed to air, a feature that helps cool the conductor and therefore increase its
conductivity. Electricity meets resistance when passing through hot metal, a phenomenon that
transforms part of the electrical energy into thermal energy, a type of energy loss.
A conductor bundle is a series of two, three or four conductors always kept apart by spacers.
Spacer dampers separate bundled conductors and control vibrations caused by wind and ice
buildup.
Alternating current, which is generated by power stations and transmitted on high-voltage cables,
is made up of three parts, or phases. High-voltage towers carry three conductor bundles, one per
current phase.
Bundled conductors are used on high-voltage power lines to help reduce energy losses (due to
the corona effect1), audible noise and radio interference. As a result, they improve the power
transmission process. For example, four small conductors with a 3-cm diameter are just as
effective asand much lighter thanone single conductor with a 46-cm diameter.
Ground wires protect the line against lightning.
Guy wires are anchor cables which ensure the mechanical strength of the support structure.
1

The corona effect, intensifies when impurities fall on the wires and when the air is very humid.
The crackling sound is loudest when it snows or rains. Electrons moving between the wires and
the air cause the corona effect. This back-and-forth movement creates a multitude of tiny
electrical discharges, which we perceive as a crackling sound. The higher the voltage, the greater
the chance this phenomenon will occur.

Line installation

Step 1: Land clearing The power line right-of-way is cleared of vegetation to allow operation of
a i.e. 735-kV line according to the established standards.
Step 2: Temporary access Temporary access roads are used to build the line. A crew sets up the
equipment and structures necessary to protect rivers and streams, cultivated lands and other
sensitive components.
Step 3: Stockpiling The various tower parts are manufactured and delivered by type. The
stockpile managers take care to organize the hundreds of parts in the order in which they'll be
used to assemble each tower. In fact, each tower has different characteristics based on angle,
topography and soil capacity.
Step 4: Delivery of steel The steel parts needed for the placement of the foundations are
delivered by semi-trailer at the edge of the right-of-way and are usually transported to the
jobsites by crawler carrier. Then the steel tower parts and hardware are delivered to their sites by
the same method.
Step 5: Establishing the foundations A work crew excavates the foundations using bulldozers and
hydraulic shovels. Depending on the nature of the soil, the foundation may be made of fill
delivered by truck or crawler carrier, or of concrete, which may be delivered or prepared on-site.
Once the foundation is in place, the excavation is backfilled.
Step 6: Tower assembly and erection A crew assembles the towers using cranes and bulldozers.
The tower is then erected by means of a telescopic crane.
Step 7: Conductor stringing The conductor stringing is done segment by segment. The conductor
is paid out from a cable drum at one end of the segment and run through stringing blocks at the
tops of the towers. At the other end of the segment are a puller and a take-up reel. Line crews are
on hand to ensure that the operation runs smoothly.
Finally, for tower grounding and protection from lightning, "counterpoises" or anchor rods are
installed in the ground.
Step 8: Inspection A compliance monitoring plan is prepared for each project according to the
specific requirements of the engineering team.
Step 9: Site restoration At the end of the project, work begins on restoring the right-of-way and
dismantling temporary access roads. A tour of the site with the landowner ensures that the
restoration work meets his expectations. Compensation is also provided for any losses incurred.
Step 10: Preparing land for cultivation Restoring to the initial state of the damaged agricultural
field (dependable).
It depends on voltage,no. of circuits(SC or DC) and type (A,B,C,D),In India.for 400Kv
DC ,it is 46.0 to46.3 mt.For SC it is 31mt. For 220KV DC -32.6 to33.1 ,220KV SC
-27.0 to27.9 ..so..on. .The above are for standard towers.If topography does not

allow for minimum clearance ,special towers are to be designed.The minimum

clarance above ground to bottom most conductor should be 5.2 mt +0.3 mt for
every 33kv or part thereof by which the voltage of the exceeds 33KV .However
minimum clearance of 6.1 mt to ground is to be maintained

How the electric transmission system works

Typical transmission line structures How dependable electricity reaches you
Transmission lines are sets of wires, called conductors, that carry electric power from generating
plants to the substations that deliver power to customers. At a generating plant, electric power is
stepped up to several thousand volts by a transformer and delivered to the transmission line. At
numerous substations on the transmission system, transformers step down the power to a lower
voltage and deliver it to distribution lines. Distribution lines carry power to farms, homes and
businesses. The type of transmission structures used for any project is determined by the
characteristics of the transmission lines route, including terrain and existing infrastructure.
Typical transmission line structures
High-voltage (230-kV, 345-kV, 400-kV (DC), 500-kV (DC):
Currently in Minnesota, the high-voltage system is generally comprised of 230-kiloVolt and 345kV systems. There are also two direct current (DC) lines, one of 400-kV and one at 500-kV.
Structures are generally steel lattice towers, wooden H-Frames or single-pole steel. (photos
below of each).
Lower voltage transmission systems:
161-kV and 115-kV systems are responsible for transmitting power from the larger transmission
system and generation facility throughout the entire state. Some large industrial customers may
be served directly from 161-kV and 115-kV systems.
161-kV and 115-kV structures are generally single pole structures between 70 and 95 feet tall.
69-kV through 23-kV systems transmit power to distribution substations. These also provide
connection to some of the more remote and sparsely populated areas in greater Minnesota. Many
smaller and rural industrial customers receive power directly from these systems.
Structures are generally single pole towers, constructed of either wood or steel and range from
50-70 feet tall.

Transmission Nominal
Voltage: +/- 400 kV
HVDC
Type: Tower
Typical Tower Height:
145-180 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
160-180 feet

Transmission Nominal
Voltage: 500 kV
Type: Tower
Typical Tower Height:
90-150 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
160-200 feet

Transmission Nominal
Transmission
Voltage: 345 kV
Nominal Voltage: 230
Type: Double Ckt Pole
kV
Typical Tower Height:
Type: H-Frame
115-150 feet
Typical Tower
Typical Right-of-Way
Height:
Width:
60-90 feet
140-160 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
100-160 feet

Transmission Nominal
Voltage: 161 kV
Type: Single Pole
Typical Tower Height:
70-95 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
100-150 feet

Transmission Nominal
Voltage: 115 kV
Type: Single Pole
Typical Tower Height:
55-80 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
90-130 feet

Transmission Nominal
Voltage: 69 kV
Type: Single Pole
Typical Tower Height:
50-70 feet
Typical Right-of-Way
Width:
70-100 feet

How dependable electricity reaches you

POWER SOURCE
Generation and transmission cooperatives (G&Ts), like Great River Energy, operate power generating
facilities. At a steam generating plant, the fuel (coal, nuclear or biomass) heats water to make steam
and drive a turbine. In a combustion turbine, the fuel (gas or oil) is burned and the hot gas drives a
turbine. Wind hydro and solar are other forms of energy producers.

High-voltage
transmission lines
Transformers at the generating plant increase the voltage up to a transmission voltage (69 kV, 115 kV,
230 kV, 500 kV, 765 kV), so it can travel long distances over high-voltage transmission lines. G&Ts
operate these lines, which carry the electric energy from the generating stations to the places where
electricity is used.

TRANSMISSION SUBSTATION
Transformers reduce the electric energy
down to a lower voltage (69 kV, 34 kV)
making it suitable for high-volume delivery
over short distances.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTION SUBSTATION

Transformers reduce the electric energy
down to a lower voltage (69 kV, 34 kV)
making it suitable for high-volume delivery
over short distances.

Distribution lines
Lines belonging to local electric co-ops carry electricity
Large industrial user
Most industries need 2,400 to 4,160 to transformers that reduce power levels to 120/240 or
120/208 volts for use in schools, farms, small
volts to run heavy machinery. They
businesses and homes.
usually have their own substation at the
facility.