Improved Grid Infrastructure

Increasingly, utilities have very specific, and sometimes multiple, challenges for overhead line projects where the use of composite components can assist in overcoming, resulting in a long lasting, reliable installation.

The following are examples of applications where high-performance composite poles deliver exactly what is required:

Hurricane grid hardening
Fire grid hardening
Ice storm grid hardening
Non-conductive
Critical equipment
No leaching
Vehicle impacts
No scheduled maintenance

Hurricane grid hardening

For some engineered materials, the ultimate strength is designed to be quite close to the published strength value. This is not the case with RS poles. Mean ultimate strength can be up to 100% greater than the published strength. In addition, composite materials have the ability to absorb high amounts of elastic strain energy. Utilities with service territories in areas that are prone to hurricanes, typhoons and even tornadoes will benefit from the resilient performance characteristics of composite poles. RS composite poles keep the power on.

Fire grid hardening

Utilities with service territories in areas that are prone to fires require infrastructure solutions that mitigate their fire risk. Working with a fire expert, RS has developed a full-scale test designed to simulate a fire moving through the utility line right-of-way. There are both 2-minute and 3-miniute durations. This test, the RS-Ackerman Fire Test, is now the industry standard used by utilities in California to evaluate fire performance of all pole material types.

RS composite poles are self-extinguishing and do not support combustion, meaning that when the fire has passed, the fire exposed structure will not burn, unlike wood poles. The RS Fire Shield™ is also an effective and affordable solution for providing increased fire protection for existing wood poles.

Ice storm grid hardening

Continuing the composite performance characteristic advantages for hurricanes, ice storms place extreme loads on overhead lines. With the ability to absorb high amounts of elastic strain energy, composite pole lead the resiliency spectrum in ice storms. RS’s poles are single best solution for continued service in these critical events.

Non-conductive

It is increasingly common for utility lines to share a right-of-way (ROW) with other utilities like a buried gas pipeline. Sometimes in these instances, the ROW is not wide enough to allow the pipeline to be beyond the arcing distance of the base of the embedded poles. A non-conductive composite pole is a safety necessity. In this example, in the shared ROW, all structure hardware would be bonded up to the shield wire and down grounds would be located outside the area of the ROW shared with the gas pipeline.

Critical equipment

Poles that have critical equipment attached to them like arresters, switch gear, reclosers, regulators, interrupters, transformers, etc., need to be both true, for correct operation of the equipment, and reliable, to ensure equipment is not damaged during high load events. FRP composite poles deliver the engineered quality to ensure continued, reliable equipment operation and protection in these applications for 80 years, ensuring that these high value installations will not need to be replaced prematurely.

No leaching

Ecotoxicity is becoming a big deal. RS composite poles do not leach carcinogenic preservatives or other chemicals which makes them the most environmentally responsible solution, particularly when structures are located in environmentally sensitive lands like water sheds and national parks, or in areas where there are drinking water wells. In addition, the lowest cradle-to-grave carbon footprint over time ensures we are all doing our best optimize reliability and environmental stewardship.

Vehicle impacts

RS poles provide the safest solution in the event that a vehicle impacts a utility pole. The structure of hollow poles absorbs impact energy, reducing the initial impact shock to the vehicle occupants and minimizing vehicular damage. Plus, composite poles are non-conductive so if there is a fault as a result of the impact, the occupants of the vehicle are better protected. In most vehicle accidents with RS poles on record, lightweight composite poles remain standing after the impact, further reducing potential hazards after the impact. Additionally, in the event of an impact resulting in structural damage to the pole, if it is modular, any damaged modules can be removed and replaced and the pole can be put back into service. This results in safety for all on the road and minimal service disruption.

No scheduled maintenance

Most traditional pole types require invasive inspection to confirm structural capacity and/or scheduled maintenance to ensure the expected service life is reached. RS composite poles require no scheduled maintenance to reach their 80-year expected service life, and inspection is quick and non-invasive. These attributes provide value to any utility grid and save costs on remotely located lines that are challenging to access.

Wood pole wrap shown installed around a wood utility pole

Learn more about

WHY USE COMPOSITE

whole link

SUSTAINABLE RESILIENCE

whole link

SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AND SERVICE LIFE

whole link

LOWER INSTALLATION COSTS

RS PowerON nested modular poles loaded and in transport

whole link