Types of Transmission Towers in Saudi Electricity Company (SEC)

Types of Transmission Towers in Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) – NGSA Standards

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is rapidly expanding its energy infrastructure projects to meet the growing demand for electricity. At the heart of this growth lies the high voltage transmission network, which delivers reliable power from generation plants to cities, industries, and remote areas.

To ensure safety and efficiency, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) follows strict NGSA (National Grid Saudi Arabia) standards for designing and selecting transmission towers. These lattice steel towers are engineered to withstand extreme desert conditions, high wind loads, and long transmission spans.

In this article, we will explore the different types of transmission towers in Saudi Arabia, their applications, and how they contribute to the power transmission system design.

High voltage transmission tower in Saudi Arabia desert under SEC NGSA standards

Why Transmission Towers Are Crucial in Power Grid Development

Every kilometer of transmission line construction requires careful planning. The right tower design ensures:

Stable support for 69kV, 230kV, and 380kV transmission lines.
Safety and reliability of the electrical grid in Saudi Arabia.
Prevention of cascading failures and costly outages.
Long-term durability, reducing transmission line maintenance cost.

Types of Towers in SEC NGSA Standards

According to SEC standards TES-P-122.05 (Part I – Lattice Steel Towers), different types of towers are used depending on voltage level, terrain, and transmission line deviation angle.

1. Tangent Tower with Suspension Strings

Deviation Angle: 0°–3° (69–230kV), 0°–2° (380kV)
Use: Straight sections of high voltage transmission lines.
Benefit: Cost-effective and widely used in power grid development.

2. Small Angle Tower with Tension Strings

Deviation Angle: 2°–10° (69–230kV), 2°–10° (380kV)
Use: Minor directional changes.
Benefit: Stronger than tangent towers, reducing risk of line swing.

3. Light Angle Tower with Tension Strings

Deviation Angle: 10°–30° (69–230kV), 10°–35° (380kV)
Use: Moderate turns in transmission line routing.
Benefit: Balances strength with economic design.

4. Medium Angle Tower with Tension Strings

Deviation Angle: 30°–45° (69–230kV), 35°–60° (380kV)
Use: Large directional changes in the network.
Benefit: Provides durability in complex terrains.

5. Heavy Angle Tower with Tension Strings

Deviation Angle: 45°–90° (69–380kV)
Use: Sharp line deviations and special terrain conditions.
Benefit: Built for maximum reliability under extreme loads.

6. Anchor Tower with Tension Strings

Deviation Angle: 0°–3° (69–380kV)
Use: Sectionalizing the line to avoid cascading failures.
Benefit: Increases power system reliability in Saudi Arabia.

7. Dead-End / Terminal Tower

Deviation Angle: 0°–30° (69–380kV)
Use: Start and end points of transmission line projects.
Benefit: Designed for maximum pulling force and stability.

8. Transposition Tower

Deviation Angle: 0°–2° (69–380kV)
Use: Rearranges conductors to balance electrical load.
Benefit: Improves power quality, reduces interference.

Key SEC Engineering Considerations

Deviation angles are calculated for ruling spans but may be adjusted with SEC approval.
Dead-End towers must handle both minimum and maximum entry/take-off angles.
For longer spans, special transmission tower designs are introduced.

Role of Transmission Towers in Saudi Arabia’s Energy Vision

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 emphasizes investment in energy infrastructure projects. Robust transmission line towers play a central role by:

Ensuring grid reliability for industries and urban centers.
Supporting renewable energy integration from solar and wind farms.
Reducing overall transmission line construction cost through optimized designs.

Conclusion

The types of transmission towers defined by SEC NGSA standards are more than just steel structures – they are essential for powering the Kingdom’s growth. From tangent towers in long straight stretches to dead-end and heavy angle towers in challenging terrains, each design has a specific role in strengthening the Saudi power transmission system.

For engineers, contractors, and researchers, understanding these towers is key to future power transmission projects in Saudi Arabia.

Comments

PRIMARY SECONDARY AND TERTIARY FREQUENCY CONTROL IN POWER SYSTEMS

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Frequency Control in Power Systems Author: Engr. Aneel Kumar Keywords: frequency control, primary frequency control, automatic generation control (AGC), tertiary control, load-frequency control, grid stability. Frequency control keeps the power grid stable by balancing generation and load. When generation and demand drift apart, system frequency moves away from its nominal value (50 or 60 Hz). Grids rely on three hierarchical control layers — Primary , Secondary (AGC), and Tertiary — to arrest frequency deviation, restore the set-point and optimize generation dispatch. Related: Power System Stability — causes & mitigation Overview of primary, secondary and tertiary frequency control in power systems. ⚡ Primary Frequency Control (Droop Control) Primary control is a fast, local response implemented by generator governors (dro...

Breaker Schemes in Substations

Breaker Schemes in Substations — Types, Design, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Comparison Author: Engr. Aneel Kumar Figure 1: Infographic overview of breaker schemes commonly used in substations. Introduction The breaker scheme or busbar arrangement in a substation defines how incoming feeders, outgoing feeders, and power transformers are connected to the bus. The choice of scheme has a direct impact on system reliability, maintainability, safety, and cost . A simple bus scheme is economical but vulnerable to outages, while advanced schemes such as breaker-and-a-half or double-bus/double-breaker provide very high reliability but at much higher cost and design complexity. Engineers select breaker schemes considering fault tolerance, maintenance needs, space requirements, expansion possibilities, protection coordination, and capital investment . Below, we explain eac...

SYMMETRICAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

Unbalanced three phase systems can be split into three balanced components, namely Positive Sequence (balanced and having the same phase sequence as the unbalanced supply), Negative Sequence (balanced and having the opposite phase sequence to the unbalanced supply) and Zero Sequence (balanced but having the same phase and hence no phase sequence). These are known as the Symmetrical Components or the Sequence Components and are shown in figure 2.10. The phase components are the addition of the symmetrical components and can be written as follows. a = a 1 + a 2 + a 0 b = b 1 + b 2 + b 0 c = c 1 + c 2 + c 0 The unknown unbalanced system has three unknown magnitudes and three unknown angles with respect to the reference direction. Similarly, the combination of the 3 sequence components will also have three unknown magnitudes and three unknown angles with respect to the reference direction. Thus the original unbalanced system effectively has 3 complex unknown quan...

TYPES OF ELECTRIC LOADS

Devices that are connected to the power system are referred to as electrical loads. Toasters, refrigerators, bug zappers, and so on are considered electrical loads. There are three types of electrical loads. They vary according to their leading or lagging time relationship between voltage and current. The three load types are resistive, inductive, and capacitive. Each type has specific characteristics that make them unique. Understanding the differences between these load types will help explain how power systems can operate efficiently. Power system engineers, system operators, maintenance personnel, and others try to maximize system efficiency on a continuous basis by having a good understanding of the three types of loads. They understand how having them work together can minimize system losses, provide additional equipment capacity, and maximize system reliability. The three different types of load are summarized below. 1) RESISTIVE LOAD: The resistance in a wire (i.e., cond...

SOLIDLY GROUNDED NEUTRAL SYSTEMS

Solidly grounded systems are usually used in low voltage applications at 600 volts or less. In solidly grounded system, the neutral point is connected to earth. Solidly Neutral Grounding slightly reduces the problem of transient over voltages found on the ungrounded system and provided path for the ground fault current is in the range of 25 to 100% of the system three phase fault current.. However, if the reactance of the generator or transformer is too great, the problem of transient over voltages will not be solved. While solidly grounded systems are an improvement over ungrounded systems, and speed up the location of faults, they lack the current limiting ability of resistance grounding and the extra protection this provides. To maintain systems health and safe, Transformer neutral is grounded and grounding conductor must be extend from the source to the furthest point of the system within the same raceway or conduit. Its purpose is to maintain very low impedance to ground faults so...

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF DIESEL POWER PLANT

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM OF DIESEL POWER PLANT It consists of storage tank, strainers, fuel transfer pump and all day fuel tanks. The fuel oil is supplied at the plant site by rail or road. The oil is stored in the storage tank. From the storage tank, oil is pumped to smaller all day tank at daily or short intervals. From this tank, fuel oil is passed through strainers to remove suspended impurities. The clean oil is injected into the engine by fuel injection pump. AIR INTAKE SYSTEM OF DIESEL POWER PLANT This system supplies necessary air to the engine for fuel combustion. It consists of pipes for the supply of fresh air to the engine manifold. Filters are provided to remove dust particles from air which may act as abrasive in the engine cylinder. Because a diesel engine requires close tolerances to achieve its compression ratio, and because most diesel engines are either turbocharged or supercharged, the air entering the engine must be clean, free of debris, and as cool as possible. ...

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CORONA EFFECT IN TRANSMISSION LINES | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING GUIDE

Advantages and Disadvantages of Corona Effect in Power Systems In high-voltage overhead transmission lines , the corona effect plays a critical role in system performance. Corona occurs when the air around a conductor becomes ionized due to high electric stress. While often seen as a drawback because of power losses and interference , it also provides certain engineering benefits . This article explains the advantages and disadvantages of corona effect in detail, with examples relevant to modern electrical power systems. ✅ Advantages of Corona Effect Increase in Virtual Conductor Diameter Due to corona formation, the surrounding air becomes partially conductive, increasing the virtual diameter of the conductor. This reduces electrostatic stress between conductors and minimizes insulation breakdown risks. Related Reading: Electrostatic Fields in High Voltage Engineering Reduction of Transient Surges Corona acts like a natural cushion for sudden ...

ENGINEERING ARTICLES

Search This Blog