Description:

Cottonwood-Kelli featured bundled 1272 ACSR conductor with Optical Ground Wire in the static positions on steel poles with drilled pier and embedded foundations. The approximately five (5) miles from Cottonwood substation to Kelli substation were mostly agricultural and included several railroads, irrigation ditches, transmission line crossings, and highways. The transmission line is the primary feed to the new Kelli substation and feeds growing industrial loads. The same transmission structures will also tie redundant feeds to the Kelli substation from the Westland substation.

TOTH was the primary point of contact from design through energization. Design started with the complete engineering package, including plan and profile, steel load and design, structure assembly, and foundation drawings with the bill of material, stringing charts, and staking sheets. Project management supported route planning, procurement, and contract creation/bidding through the design process. During construction, TOTH’s field team managed staking and field observation while the project management reviewed schedules and resource delegation, leading weekly update meetings and tracking down material and land use permits.

There were several challenges during the project. Late easement issues resulted in major route changes after steel procurement, but TOTH still delivered an on-time engineered package. The construction was also delayed after steel pole/cage deliveries lapsed and more rock was encountered than expected during drilling. TOTH’s project management and the contractor remained efficient, balancing several projects to keep resources busy. The result was a transmission line that was completed under budget and ahead of schedule.