Skip to main content

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.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE AND DIELECTRIC STRENGTH

An insulator or dielectric is a substance within which there are no mobile electrons necessary for electric conduction. However, when the voltage applied to such an insulator exceeds a certain value, then it breaks down and allows a heavy electric current (much larger than the usual leakage current) to flow through it. If the insulator is a solid medium, it gets punctured or cracked. The disruptive or breakdown voltage of an insulator is the minimum voltage required to break it down. Dielectric strength of an insulator or dielectric medium is given by the maximum potential difference which a unit thickness of the medium can withstand without breaking down. In other words, the dielectric strength is given by the potential gradient necessary to cause breakdown of an insulator. Its unit is volt/meter (V/m) although it is usually expressed in KV/mm. For example, when we say that the dielectric strength of air is 3 KV/mm, then it means that the maximum PD which one mm thickness of ...
Read more

EQUIPMENT OF STEAM POWER STATION

A modern steam power station is highly complex and has numerous equipment and auxiliaries. However, the most important constituents of a steam power station are: 1. Steam generating equipment 2. Condenser 3. Prime mover 4. Water treatment plant 5. Electrical equipment. 1. STEAM GENERATING EQUIPMENT: This is an important part of steam power station. It is concerned with the generation of superheated steam and includes such items as boiler, boiler furnace, super heater, economizer, air pre-heater and other heat reclaiming devices. (I) BOILER : A boiler is closed vessel in which water is converted into steam by utilizing the heat of coal combustion. Steam boilers are broadly classified into the following two types: (a) Water tube boilers (b) Fire tube boilers In a water tube boiler, water flows through the tubes and the hot gases of combustion flow over these tubes. On the other hand, in a fire tube boiler, the hot products of combustion pass through the tubes surrounded by water. Wate...
Read more

TYPES OF SINGLE PHASE MOTORS

Single phase motors are manufactured in fractional kilowatt range to be operated on single phase supply and for use in numerous applications like ceiling fans, refrigerators, food mixers, hair driers, portable drills, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, sewing machines, electric shavers, office machinery etc. Single phase motors are manufactured in different types to meet the requirements of various applications. Single phase motors are classified on the basis of their construction and starting methods employed. The main types of single phase motors are: (a) Induction motors (b) Synchronous motors (c) Commutator motors The various types of motors under each class are shown as under: Repulsion, repulsion induction and reluctance start motors are not used these days, they have been largely replaced by split phase motors with special capacitors which can be designed to perform equally well as repulsion types. In addition they offer such advantages as lower cost and trouble fr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Advantages of Per Unit System in Power System Analysis | Electrical Engineering

  Advantages of Per Unit System in Power System Analysis In electrical power engineering, the per unit (p.u.) system is one of the most widely used techniques for analyzing and modeling power systems. It is a method of expressing electrical quantities — such as voltage, current, power, and impedance — as fractions of chosen base values rather than their actual numerical magnitudes. This normalization technique provides a universal language for system calculations, minimizing errors, simplifying transformer modeling, and enabling consistency across multiple voltage levels. Because of these benefits, the per unit system is essential in fault analysis, load flow studies, transformer testing, and short-circuit calculations . ⚡ What is the Per Unit System? The per unit system is defined as: Q u a n t i t y ( p u ) = A c t u a l   V a l u e B a s e   V a l u e Quantity_{(pu)} = \dfrac{Actual \ Value}{Base \ Value} Q u an t i t y ( p u ) ​ = B a se   ...
6 comments
Read more

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...
2 comments
Read more

ELECTRIC MOTOR PRINCIPLES

The electric motor in its simplest terms is a converter of electrical energy to useful mechanical energy. The electric motor has played a leading role in the high productivity of modern industry, and it is therefore directly responsible for the high standard of living being enjoyed throughout the industrialized world. An electric motor’s principle of operation is based on the fact that a current- carrying conductor, when placed in a magnetic field, will have a force exerted on the conductor proportional to the current flowing in the conductor and to the strength of the magnetic field. In alternating current motors, the windings placed in the laminated stator core produce the magnetic field. The aluminum bars in the laminated rotor core are the current carrying conductors upon which the force acts. The resultant action is the rotary motion of the rotor and shaft, which can then be coupled to various devices to be driven and produce the output. Many types of motors are produced today. Un...
Post a Comment
Read more

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM OF DIESEL ENGINE

Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an internal combustion engine. A fuel injection system is designed and calibrated specifically for the type of fuel it will handle. Most fuel injection systems are for diesel applications. With the advent of electronic fuel injection (EFI), the diesel gasoline hardware has become similar. EFI’s programmable firmware has permitted common hardware to be used with different fuels. Carburetors were the predominant method used to meter fuel before the widespread use of fuel injection. A variety of injection systems have existed since the earliest usage of the internal combustion engine. The primary difference between carburetors and fuel injection is that fuel injection atomizes the fuel by forcibly pumping it through a small nozzle under high pressure, while a carburetor relies on low pressure created by intake air rushing through it to add the fuel to the air stream. The fuel injector is only a nozzle and a valve: the power to inj...
Post a Comment
Read more