Q: I've traveled through a number of utility company service areas in the US. Every utility seems to have it's own transmission tower design. Different materials - wood, steel, corten, concrete. A utility engineer told me that it was because of different wind/snow/ice loading conditions in each area. I don't buy that. How much difference can there be in SCE's and PG&E's area conditions? Shouldn't the industry adopt a standard design that can be tweaked for differing conditions? Isn't that what is done for other infrastructure such as transformers, switch-gear etc.? Are we dealing with engineer ego here, and a desire to be 'unique'?
-TPM, CA
You Be The Expert!
Best answer of the month wins a $50 gift card. Enter it in the comment section and make sure you complete registration and verification (free).
Got a question to toss out to our readers? Send it to [email protected] and put "expert" on the subject line.
