Transmission lines
EFLA has decades of experience in the design of aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective transmission lines gained while working on projects in over 20 countries. EFLA's specialists provide comprehensive consultancy in the field of the transmission line design.
Contacts
Steinþór Gíslason Director | Energy Phone: +354 412 6200 / +354 665 6200 E-mail: steinthor.gislason@efla.is Reykjavík
Vivendhra Naidoo Director | Energy Phone: +354 412 6332 / +47 456 36 559 E-mail: vivendhra.naidoo@efla.no Noregur
Planning and design of transmission lines have been part of the core business of EFLA since 1979, and the company has worked with the design and development of transmission lines in countries with demanding environments characterized by high ice and/or wind loads such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden, France, Finland, Canada, Greenland and Africa.
EFLA’s highly qualified staff have worked on both HVAC and HVDC lines with varying complexities, socio-economic challenges and engineering demands such as compactness, aesthetics and maximization of power transfer while obtaining the best return on investment (ROI) through optimization of capital and maintenance costs. EFLA's highly qualified staff cater to more than ten languages thereby facilitating international co-operation. Their worldwide experience in various challenging international projects has given EFLA unique perspective and expertise to solve complicated OHTL projects.
A growing awareness of the environment and the importance of conserving nature has led to a greater focus on adapting new high-voltage towers to landscapes and surroundings. EFLA has therefore worked closely with industrial designers for many years to meet this challenge in a cost-effective manner with a combination of practical design and innovative solutions.
Read more on the aesthetic tower designs completed by EFLA
Cost Optimization
EFLA has been extensively involved in many cost optimization projects for transmission lines. Its engineers were instrumental in the development of the CIGRE brochure dealing with the optimization of power lines. EFLA engineers can optimize line routes, conductor selection, structures, foundations, and tower placement using in-house developed software and routines as well as commercial software such as the PLS-Cadd suite; thereby increasing the ROI. Conductor optimization has the largest impact on ROI due to the cost of losses and capital costs typically around 25% of the line cost. EFLA has developed an aluminium tower for 400kV to help optimize the construction of a power line in difficult terrain accessible only by helicopter. The aluminium tower helps reduce costs and is a more environmentally friendly alternative (fewer helicopter trips).
International experience
EFLA's speciality is the long history of international experience and broad knowledge of all aspects related to transmission lines. EFLA designs transmission lines that fulfil today's requirements for cost-effective design with a focus on safety, performance, aesthetics environment impact and restorability.
EFLA offers consulting services for power systems; from analysis, impact assessments and concept studies, detailed design, procurement and construction support for transmission lines and all related infrastructure such as substation and underground cable networks.
Read more about our substations capability
Among services provided are
- Route planning and optimization
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Planning and licensing assistance, communication with stakeholders
- 3D visualizations, introductory videos and terrain mapping
- Development of environmental loads (wind, Ice and combinations thereof using WRF simulations)
- Geotechnical design and research
- Concept design studies
- Cost studies (estimation and 3rd party cost reviews)
- Electrical design (insulation coordination, EMF, Audible noise, component specifications, etc)
- Mechanical design (Towers, foundations, and hardware)
- Conductor, tower, foundation optimization
- Tower spotting and line optimization
- Design or selection of conductors, fittings and insulators
- Design of new transmission lines (66 kV - 765 kV)
- Development and detailed design of architecturally designed towers
- Tower design with varying materials, such as wood, lattice steel, tubular steel, fiber reinforced poles, aluminum, and concrete
- Creation of Tender documentation
- Tender evaluations
- Technical support during procurement
- Factory acceptance testing (Hardware, Towers, Insulators, Conductor)
- Construction supervision, management and technical control
- 3rd party Design review
- Risk assessments
- Specialized research and Failure Investigations
- Software development and training
- Emergency Restoration planning
- Line refurbishment projects
- Line re-conductoring projects (HTLS, bundle conductors)
- Uprating of existing lines (Voltage upgrade, temperature upgrade, HTLS conductors, real time monitoring)
- Upgrading of existing lines (structure and foundation reinforcements)
- Line performance enhancement projects
- Failure investigations
- Expert witness services
See summaries of the various transmission projects completed by EFLA
