Storm Destroys Transmission Tower

[DIRTROAD]

This thread is especially for all those who work under Transmission Towers in the ROW.

A couple of weeks ago we had a storm come through with some high winds. There were not any tornadoes involved in this incident. This was straight line winds only.

Link to the story: Wind Flattens Duke Transmission Tower - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville
Link with a pic: Duke Energy Tower Collapses Near SC / NC Line | WSPA

This was about a mile from my house (as the crow flies). It was right on the state line, but this particular tower was in Rutherford County, NC. I had a couple of trees blown over, but I would never have thought that the wind was strong enough to blow one of these towers over. There just doesn't seem to be enough surface area on the towers to get this kind of a result.

Ironically a man with a wig-wam or tee-pee (I don't know the difference) of some sort about 100 yards from this tower suffered no damage whatsoever.

Here is a pic of the rebuild taking place. This was taken last week. Notice the crane being used to temporarily support the lines.

 

[piller]

Are those cranes insulated so that the transmission line can operate while they build the tower?

 

[DIRTROAD]

I think that the current was rerouted during this phase. I think that the crane is there to take the stress off of the other towers and to keep the lines from laying on the ground. I am not 100% sure on this though.

It is amazing that these towers are designed to handle 90mph direct winds and this one still toppled.

 

[FTG-05]

When the tornado storms hit north Alabama last April 27, there were over 120 high voltage transmission towers destroyed between MS and north AL.

The main transmission line out of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant were all down and the plant went into emergency shutdown and on generators until they could repair/replace the towers. It was the first time in TVA's history that they were forced to bring in outside help to help deal with the aftermath of a storm.

As far as I know, BF is back up. My next door neighbor works there and he says that replacing that many high voltage transmission towers was absolutely astounding.

We lost power for about 4 days or so; not that big of a deal. Fortunately, it wasn't +90 degrees during the day or it would have really, really sucked!

 

[ray66v]

A friend had one of those towers damaged in his back yard, a few years ago, after a storm.

The lines went over the turnpike at that point. Lucky for the turnpike, the exit and entrances were on each side of the tower. So, they routed traffic off and right back on to avoid them.

I have watched a lot of line crews, I did not know they could move this fast.

They used Cranes, (4) high lift bucket trucks, and a helicopter.

In 4 hours they put up (2) very long wood poles with a horizontal wood pole between them, transferred the power lines to this new structure, removed the damaged tower, and were gone.

Apparently, they do not intend to replace the metal tower, they have never returned to the scene.