Wilson installed 169 circuit miles of 345kV vertical bundle 1926.9 Cumberland TW wire. The wire was installed on existing double-circuit steel lattice towers and had to be performed around an already installed circuit, OHGW and OPGW that was directly above the new circuit.
The transmission line, part the state’s Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ), traversed several established landowner properties, and one of the project requirements was to minimize the impact to the project right-of-way. Wilson’s crews performed most of the work with its company-owned MD 500 helicopters to minimize heavy equipment impacts to the terrain. The location of the existing OPGW directly above the new circuit provided a challenge for traditional construction methods that would be used with the helicopters. Instead, Wilson’s superintendents and helicopter pilots developed an adaptable approach that kept all flight operations safely away from the overhead OPGW.
Additionally, the project included the installation of 16 concrete monopole foundations and heavy dead-end steel pole structures. The project had aggressive start and finish dates and was performed within tough work environments, such as wind, snow and ice, near Amarillo, Texas.