Camborne

Asset health inspections highlighted tower steelwork corrosion on the Camborne-Hayle 132kV line, forming part of the ‘A Route’ on the OHL network in Cornwall.

Built in the 1930s the route consisted of PL1 type towers strung with 175mm ACSR LYNX phase conductor and 70mm ACSR HORSE equivalent OPGW.

NorPower was engaged to replace 8 single circuit towers with new metricated equivalent, breaking off and replacing muffs as necessary to allow the tower replacement.

Impediments to the works included safety and environmental issues relating to towers situated within core path networks in residential areas, and in the Upton Towans SSSI nature reserve. In addition to this, temporary trackways were installed on agreed access routes to mitigate damage to ground/crops.

Minimising outages and, thereby potential for disruption to the network, the new towers were assembled on the ground and a local crane hire company engaged to lift the replacements into place once the old towers had been removed.

OPGW fibre traffic was maintained during the tower replacement works and polymeric insulators, OPGW fittings and phase conductor fittings were re-used.

Safety signs and anti-climbing devices were replaced and the old towers cut up using our hydraulic shears and removed from site.