Why Not a Generic Transmission Tower Design?

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May 21, 2015
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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

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