Projects

Fowler Ridge Wind Farm

Description:

Ulteig helped support the generation of a wind farm near Fowler, IN, by surveying the land surrounding a 23-mile stretch of new 345 kV transmission line and providing the construction drawings for the project. With an ultimate generation capacity of 800 MW, the line had to be tied into two new substations, one existing substation, and one new switchyard. Single-pole weathering steel-on-concrete foundations with braced horizontal-post insulators were used. The majority of the line runs parallel to a railroad and a four-lane highway, which created challenges beyond adjacent landowner easement restraints. Challenges included allowing sufficient clearances not only to meet code but also meet acceptance to the private railroad and the Indiana Department of Transportation for the crossing of and running parallel to their facilities. Because many adjacent private landowners did not allow conductor blowout onto their property, the line was placed close to the railroad. That meant engineers had to pay significant design attention to horizontal and vertical clearance as well as the effects of possible induced current on the tracks. The line was designed, material ordered, and construction completed on time — in less than one year.