Training | Design of Overhead Powerlines using PLS-CADD
Classroom-style course. Online attendance can be accommodated via Zoom.
Tuesday February 24th – Thursday February 26th 8:30 am - 16:30 pm. Löfströms allé 5, Sundbyberg, Stockholm, Sweden
Registration below.
PLS-CADD
PLS-CADD is the industry standard in overhead power line design and drafting software. This course will teach how to use PLS-CADD on a transmission or distribution project from start to finish, including importing survey data, criteria development, structure design, conductor sagging and Plan & Profile drawing development and plotting.
Topics Covered
- Overview of the PLS Suite of Software
- Survey Data and Terrain modeling
- Engineering - Design criteria - Creation of M1 structure models - Clearance calculations - Sag and tension calculations - Manual spotting and stringing - Automatic spotting - Structure calculations and strength assessment
- Concentrated loads e.g. aircraft warning spheres
- PLS-CADD drafting tools
- Creation of construction documentation
Advanced topics
EFLA utilized PLS-CADD in the design of OHL in Sweden. There are several aspects of the Swedish NNA that require special handling in PLS-CADD to enable the software to accurately model a load and provide the correct force reactions according to requirements of the Swedish NNA. EFLA will cover some of the learnings from its exercises in design of lines in Sweden using PLS-CADD as we believe this will be extremely useful for Svenska kraftnät. In addition, the following aspects will be covered:
- Use of PLS-CADD to comply with the Swedish NNA requirements.
- EMF
- Graphical sagging
- Modelling Jumpers and clearance checks
- Common modelling errors
- Application of concentrated loads e.g. aircraft warning spheres
- Checking galloping clearances
- RS vs FE comparisons and requirements
- Clipped vs unclipped insulators
- Structural analysis (Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4)
- Unbalanced loadings
- Equalizing tensions
Who should attend?
This course is intended for all line design engineers who currently use or are planning to use PLS-CADD software. The attendees should have a basic understanding of power line design and the process and concepts involved. The course is focused on the use of PLS-CADD and no prior knowledge of PLS-CADD is required. The course does not cover the fundamentals of line design; however, a separate course is available.
Fees
The class costs € 2.300 + VAT per person (Two thousand three hundred Euros + VAT) or 25.000 SEK + VAT per person (Twenty five thousand SEK + VAT).
Fees include training version of the software if needed, lunch, tea and coffee and customized manuals.
Course Registration
A registration form is attached to this document. Seats are limited to the first 15 registrants. We must receive your registration and payment to reserve your seat. The completed registration form must be sent to post@efla.no Once the registration form is received, an invoice will be sent to you for payment to secure your attendance.
For further information, you can contact viven@efla.no.
Payment Information
Full payment is required prior to the class and must be received to reserve a seat. Seats are reserved on a first-paid first-reserved basis and are limited to 15 people. You will receive an invoice after submitting your application.
Cancellation Policy
Confirmed registrants who do not participate or who cancel after 10th of February 2026, will forfeit their entire registration fee. EFLA reserves the right to cancel the training session and will refund the entire class registration fee in the unlikely event this happens.
Details
- Practical, hands-on course, conducted in English.
- The course will take the form of a lecture focusing on core concepts of PLS-CADD. Delegates will be given exercises to follow and complete during the day and will be assisted by the instructors when needed. The exercises are designed to help strengthen the understanding of PLS-CADD.
- The class will be held from 8:30 AM to 16:30+ PM (Swedish Time) Tuesday through Thursday.
- Venue: Löfströms allé 5, Sundbyberg, Stockholm, Sweden
- Each day will consist of a short recap followed by a lecture and practical exercises for the delegates to complete.
- PLS-CADD Training packages will be made available to those that require it.
Requirements
- A PC meeting the requirements specified on the PLS website.
- PC must be capable of connecting to the internet.
- Ability to access a Google Drive link to download example files and course material which will be distributed prior to the course.
Software & Training Material Provided
This is a ‘hands-on’ class where attendees will be learning by using PLS-CADD. PLS-CADD training version software will be made available for those that do not have access to the software.
*Any audio or video recording of the class is strictly prohibited.
Guðmundur M. Hannesson: Team leader in the international OHTL team at EFLA Iceland, Civil Engineer.
Instructors
Guðmundur M. Hannesson is a civil engineer (M.Sc.) with 15-year experience in the design of transmission lines. His main expertise is within the mechanical design of transmission lines. He has substantial electromechanical experience in voltage upgrading of 300 kV transmission lines in Norway, which involves changing the hardware of existing strings. Gudmundur has designed numerous transmission lines between 132 kV and 400 kV. He has extensive experience during the design, tender, and construction phases. He has played an important role in large projects in Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and has been involved in projects in Canada and Germany. Furthermore, he has substantial experience in the design of new 220 kV tower types in Iceland that include “the Human Pylon” as well as “the Bird tower”. As well as, designing a new 420 kV tower type called “Power in Balance” for Statnett. Additionally, he has played important role in the design of 220 kV standardization of tower types for both Landsnet and Svenska Kraftnät.
Gudmundur has also wide experience in icing on transmission lines. He has been collecting and analyzing ice load on test spans in Iceland, Newfoundland, and Greenland. The is a co-author of 5 published IWAIS articles. Gudmundur is a specialist in calculating forces. He has worked with different standards and is well known with design standards such as EN 50341, EN 1993, EN 1997, and national annexes for the Scandinavian countries. Have experience with advising the client during contract negotiations and in the purchase of service and material. He also a specialist in all Power Line Systems software (PLS-CADD, PLS-TOWER, PLS-POLE, and PLS-SAPS) for non-linear FE analysis as well as custom-developed Visual Basic routines for the appropriate design code verification.
Gudmundur is an IPMA C certified Project manager and a manager for the international Transmission Line Division at EFLA.
Viven Naidoo: Energy Department Leader (Norway), Electrical Engineer.
Viven Naidoo is an Electrical engineer with an MBA from Henley Business School and has over 24 years’ experience in the design or uprating of Distribution and Transmission Lines from 22 kV up to 765 kV. He has worked on the design of transmission lines in many countries including South Africa, Canada, Namibia, Botswana, Indonesia, Norway, Mozambique, Greenland, Sri-Lanka and the DRC. Mr Naidoo is an active CIGRE member for 10 years and was previously the engineering design leader for a large transmission integration project valued at USD 480 million, which consisted of several 765 kV and 400 kV lines, totaling 2200 km. He has been involved in many line failure investigations, vibration damping studies and emergency restoration planning projects. Mr Naidoo has conducted several PLS-CADD training exercises in South Africa, Norway, Sri-Lanka, Hungary, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. He has been utilizing PLS suite of software for more than 25 years and has been involved in the design of more than 4000 km of overhead lines using PLS-CADD.