Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has released a committee report on calculation of reduction in right-of-way (RoW) width for transmission lines built with contemporary technological options.
The report offers detailed calculations on RoW width for transmission lines built with additional technological options like monopole tower and HTLS (high temperature low sag) conductors.
Accordingly, this report considers RoW width for ACSR conductors with monopole structure, HTLS conductors with monopole structure and HTLS conductor with conventional-type tower (lattice).
This report will supplement the earlier report — prepared by a committee constituted in August 2016 — that was circulated to all stakeholders in July 2020. This report, inter alia, provided RoW for normal route, forest area, urban area, populated area and approach section near substations.
Background
The new 13-member committee was constituted by CEA in July 2023 and was assigned the task of calculating RoW width considering technological options. The terms of reference of the committee were:
- Calculation of RoW width in case of insulated cross-arm insulators
- Calculation of RoW width in case of monopole towers
- Calculation of RoW width in case of HTLS conductors
The new committee held five meetings during the period August 23, 2023 to September 13, 2024, and presented its report that has now been released by CEA.
Use of monopole structures
The report observes that in recent years, use of monopole structures are also increasing in specific areas due to much reduced footprints, less number of components and faster erection and commissioning. However, the high cost, difficulty in transportation, increase in number of poles due to reduction in design span, special design consideration for multi-circuit towers and limited manufacturing facilities are some of the bottlenecks in construction of transmission lines with monopole structure.
What is RoW?
Right-of-Way (RoW) is defined as the strip of land immediately below and adjacent to a transmission line. RoW also provides an access corridor for maintenance of transmission lines. The width of RoW required for a transmission line is based on the consideration for safety clearances as per “Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to safety and electric supply) Regulations, 2023.”
The full report is available on CEA’s website, and may be accessed through this external link
Also read: CEA to add new chapter in transmission manual, seeks public comments
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